As official materials partner of the NICE Project, organizer of the Fashion Summit, C.L.A.S.S. to provide all eco-materials for the Design Challenge. “The Copenhagen Fashion Summit is the world’s most important conference on sustainability and Fashion both for its content and because it engages all the fashion industry supply chain. We are proud to be official partners for this event”  says Giusy Bettoni. “The NICE Design Challenge is an amazing opportunity for designers and fashion brands to work with innovative eco-materials, and for the public to witness what is possible when fashion and innovation come together.

C.L.A.S.S. has been confirmed as the Official Materials/Textiles Partner for the Copenhagen Fashion Summit (Copenhagen, May 3, 2012) the world’s largest conference on sustainability and fashion organized by the NICE Project in collaboration with the Danish Fashion Institute. NICE is an international organization comprised of the fashion organizations from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland that have come together in 2009 behind a code of conduct and ten year plan aimed at transforming the fashion industry’s business practices into more sustainable ones.

For the 2012 edition, C.L.A.S.S. has been the exclusive textiles provider for the fifteen fashion houses participating in the NICE Design Challenge, a runway competition involving top nordic designers to showcase new innovative materials that affect the climate to a lesser degree than traditional materials. C.L.A.S.S. has been involved with the NICE Project since its launch in 2009, the two organizations share both objectives and philosophy, and a unique and complementary know-how aimed at bringing innovation and sustainability to the whole fashion industry by facilitating the way fashion houses and designers acquire materials and processes. The partners’ goal is to transform eco-fashion from a niche segment into a global industry standard to offer real choices that combine stile and sustainability to the end consumer.

“The Copenhagen Fashion Summit is the world’s most important conference on sustainability and Fashion both for its content and because it engages all the fashion industry supply chain. We are proud to be official partners for this event that shares our philosophy and vision and complements our for the future of the fashion industry.” Says Giusy Bettoni, CEO & Founder, C.L.A.S.S. “The NICE Design Challenge is an amazing opportunity for designers and fashion brands to work with innovative eco-materials, and for the public to witness what is possible when fashion and innovation come together.

“We have worked with C.L.A.S.S. since 2009 and share a common project in making deep, structural changes to how the fashion and design industries operate,” said Eva Kruse, Director, Danish Fashion Institute. “By sharing know-how and assets with C.L.A.S.S. we are able to both extend and strengthen our reach through the whole fashion supply chain, from yarn weavers to the end consumer.”

Keynote speakers that will take part in the summit include: Vanessa Friedman, Financial Times – Rossella Ravagli, GUCCI – Holly Dublin, PPR – Helena Helmersson, H&M – Giordano Capuano, Vivienne Westwood – Mark Sumner, Marks & Spencer – Anne Prahl, WGSN – Michael Schragger, Sustainable Fashion Academy.

Textile producers providing materials from C.L.A.S.S.’ Eco-library three categories include:

Naturals & Organics – Conceria Tre Effe S.r.l, Euromaglia and Lanificio Zignone

Repurposed & Recycled – Euromaglia, and Tessitura Virgilio Taiana

Innovative Renewables – Furpile Idea and Meazza & Masciadri

Additionally, Giusy Bettoni founder and CEO of C.L.A.S.S. will participate in the role of  “textile advisor” and sit on the jury with Vogue, Nina Ricci, Glamour, H&M to help evaluating the designers’ creations.

Participating designers to the challenge include: Ásta Créative Clothes, Baum Und Pferdegarten, Day, Erik Bjerkesjo, Haaning Htoon, Hanna Felting, Ivana Helsinki, Marimekko, Mika Moddiggård, Mundi, Nanso, Noolan, Norrback, Rützou, 8045.

This key partnership agreement follows C.L.A.S.S’. recent announcement of new partnership with The Green Carpet Challenge (GCC.) that will also be present at NICE: together they will unveil a creative space dedicated to the relationship between eco-innovative materials and fashion apparel; Green Carpet Challenge outfits made with materials from C.L.A.S.S’. eco-library materials will be on display for the duration of the summit. GCC and C.L.A.S.S. have been working together since January 2012 to make sustainable fabrics a reality in the supply chain of some of the world’s most prestigious design houses, recent launches include working with Giorgio Armani that created Livia Firth gown in occasion of the Golden Globes, Colin Firth tuxedos by Giorgio Armani and Paul Smith and Livia Firth dress by Valentino at Oscars.

C.L.A.S.S. partners will also be assigning two special prizes during the Copenhagen Fashion Summit:

• The White Award

• The Newlife Honorable Mention

The White Award assigned in collaboration with WHITE, the world’s leading fashion trade event dedicated to innovation and style, will select one winner amongst the designers competing in the challenge to receive a exhibiting space during the fair’s next edition.

Newlife™ – a C.L.A.S.S. eco-material partner – will assign its Honorable Mention to the designer. The winner will receive 100 meters of a Newlife™ fabric.

All service-ware (plates, glasses, cutlery and pens) used during the event is made in Ingeo and has been provided by our partner NatureWorks L.L.C.