Sustainability took center stage in the heart of New York City as the Global Sustainable Fashion & Culture Exchange, presented by Fashion Alliance Network Inc. in partnership with the Times Square Alliance, transformed Duffy Square into an open forum for fashion, culture, education, innovation and environmental responsibility. The Exchange was created to bring conversations that often take place behind industry doors directly to designers, students, educators, consumers and the public.
Founded by Martu E. Freeman-Parker, Founder and CEO of Fashion Alliance Network Inc., the Exchange reflects a larger vision: connecting the creative power of fashion with sustainability, cultural preservation, social responsibility and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. From its inception, the initiative has viewed Times Square as a powerful global platform for taking sustainability beyond industry circles and making the conversation accessible to everyday consumers.
Throughout the day, three panel discussions explored some of the most urgent questions facing the fashion industry: preserving heritage while reimagining tradition; addressing fashion’s ethical and social challenges; and rethinking fashion through innovation, accountability and measurable impact. The program also featured a Circular Fashion Show and an Emerging Sustainable Designers Showcase, bringing the ideas discussed onstage to life through design.
The Exchange brought together an impressive cross-section of fashion leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, designers and circular-economy advocates. Featured speakers and moderators included Seth Howard, Mari Amari, Ann Cantrell, Winona Quigley, Deanna Crevecoeur, Erich Soldat, Jeanine Ballone, Taryn Hipwell, Camille Diane Tagle, Moe Hachem, Nyleve Henry, Peter McLaughlin, Alexander Dabagh, and other industry voices contributing perspectives from across the fashion ecosystem.
The panel “Beyond the Label: Fashion’s Ethical and Social Challenges,” moderated by Seth Howard, examined the human side of fashion—from responsible sourcing and ethical labor to transparency, emerging brands and the realities of building businesses that can grow responsibly. Speaker Mari Amari reflected on the importance of accountability across both global supply chains and artisan communities.
Later, Peter McLaughlin moderated “How Can We Rethink Fashion: Innovation, Accountability, and Impact?” with Taryn Hipwell of Healthy Fabric Library, Nyleve Henry of Looks for Lease Technologies, Moe Hachem of Sneaker Impact, and Camille Diane Tagle of FABSCRAP. Their conversation moved from textile and footwear recovery to healthier materials, rental models, reuse, recycling and the infrastructure required to make circular fashion scalable.
Beyond the panels, sustainable brands and organizations brought the conversation directly to the street through activations and educational experiences. FABSCRAP, for example, participated as a Times Square activation partner, demonstrating how textile waste can become a resource for reuse, education and creative innovation.
Central to the success of the Exchange was the collaboration with the Times Square Alliance. By bringing sustainability programming into Duffy Square during New York Fashion Week, the partnership created a bridge between the fashion industry and the diverse global audience that moves through Times Square every day. Rather than limiting the sustainability conversation to conferences and private industry gatherings, the Exchange placed it directly in the public realm.
For Freeman-Parker, that accessibility is fundamental to the mission.
“Sustainability cannot only be a conversation within the fashion industry. We have to make the conversation easier, bring everyone into the same space, and give people the knowledge and inspiration to make more responsible choices.”
The Global Sustainable Fashion & Culture Exchange represents more than a single day of programming. It is part of Fashion Alliance Network’s broader effort to connect fashion, culture, education, technology, business and community while creating opportunities for collaboration and actionable change.
From the runway to the panel stage—and from industry leaders to students and everyday consumers—the message in Times Square was clear: the future of fashion will require collaboration, education, innovation and a shared commitment to doing better.
Global Sustainable Fashion & Culture Exchange
Presented by Fashion Alliance Network Inc.
In partnership with Times Square Alliance
Duffy Square | Times Square, New York City
