by Metropol | May 13, 2026 8:33 am
This industry contributes billions to New Zealand’s economy and employs tens of thousands of people, yet it has often operated in parts rather than as a connected system,” says Jacinta FitzGerald, chief executive of Fashion & Textiles New Zealand (FTNZ).
“Threads of Tomorrow Summit is about bringing those parts together, to build a shared understanding of where value is created, where the opportunities lie, and how we move forward with greater alignment and ambition.”
The one-day summit, backed by principal sponsor ASB, will convene over 200 decision-makers – of the industry’s 76,000 employees – from across Aotearoa’s fibre, textile, manufacturing, design and retail ecosystems. They’ll explore how New Zealand can strengthen its global competitiveness, build higher-value industries, and accelerate innovation across the sector.
Headline speakers include Minister of Finance Nicola Willis, Victoria Mulligan, co-founder and director of Design Futures Aotearoa, and Emma Wallace, managing director of Kowtow. Mark Little and Sarah Hayes of global outdoor brand Patagonia, will deliver a keynote on ‘The End of Business as Usual – What the Next Decade Demands’ presented by Zentera, the company behind ZQ and ZQ+, the world’s leading marks for high-quality wool.
Three core themes – place, possibility, and momentum – reflect New Zealand’s unique strengths, emerging opportunities, and the shifts shaping the decade ahead. In conjunction with the Summit, FTNZ will launch a Future of Manufacturing Strategy, developed with EY to strengthen Aotearoa’s fashion and textiles manufacturing ecosystem. “New Zealand has all the ingredients – world-class natural fibres, strong design capability, and a reputation for integrity and innovation,” Jacinta says.
Tickets are available at: events.humanitix.com/threads-of-tomorrow-summit.
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/whats-next-for-local-fashion/
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