Living Labs for Circular Regenerative Fashion - UN Science Summit Session

What if transforming fashion started not at a garment's end of life, but the moment it first touches our skin? Fashion is one of the most visible expressions of our identities and creativity. Yet behind what we wear lies a complex global system, one that employs hundreds of millions of people (mostly women) while contributing 2 to 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and significant water and microplastic pollution. How can we move beyond "less harmful" fashion towards systems that are truly circular, regenerative and healthy for people and the planet? This was the focus of ENoLL's session "Living Labs for Circular Regenerative Fashion: Co-creating Science-Based Systemic Solutions Across the Global North & South," held on 17 September 2026 as part of the Science Summit at the 81st UN General Assembly. Bringing together policy, entrepreneurship, research and Living Lab experiences across Europe and Africa, the session explored what systemic transformation could look like, from global policy frameworks to the clothes we wear every day.