In addition to Paris Fashion Week, an innovative atelier titled Beyond Adaptation: The Shift to Circular Practices was hosted by EIT Culture & Creativity at Atelier Néerlandais Paris on March 2nd, 2026. More than 80 participants from across the fashion ecosystem—including designers, investors, and sustainability experts—gathered to engage in meaningful discussions and collaboration.
Launch of the NEB Fashion Adaptor Program
The event marked the inaugural edition of the NEB Fashion Adaptor, a ten-week training program intended to guide brands and services in transitioning toward circular models and resource-conscious practices. This initiative aims to address structural issues in the fashion industry, such as waste mitigation.
Highlighting Emerging Brands and Projects
The atelier spotlighted 12 emerging brands and designers representing 9 countries, offering them a platform to pitch their projects and share their progress toward circularity and more sustainable fashion systems. Each project underscored ongoing efforts to adopt sustainable production methods, reduce carbon emissions, and limit natural resource consumption.
EU policymakers and investors provided feedback on frameworks, policies, and support funding programs, highlighting contributions from DG ENV (European Commission) and the New European Bauhaus. Representatives from the London College of Fashion (UAL) and Brussels-based Miron&Co investors stressed the importance of robust business models, reevaluating risk assessment in fashion, and moving toward patient capital.
Roadmaps to Change
- Hacoy is shifting from long-distance logistics to radical proximity, replacing global supply chains with decentralized, hyper-local models where production and consumption take place within the same region (the “100 km rule”).
- Cosmo addresses the underutilization of agricultural waste from winemaking by transforming grape byproducts into regenerative, culturally rooted biomaterials, thereby reducing dependence on fossil-based materials.
- Martan expands the use of upcycled and post-consumer recycled materials, while innovating production methods with new suppliers and facilities to develop hyper-sustainable product lines.
- Adirelounge confronts reliance on synthetic fibers and overproduction by developing a plant-based, on-demand textile system that integrates heritage patterns with low-impact fibers, reducing synthetic use and eliminating excess inventory.
- Lore presents lambswool yarn and fabric from Romney sheep to demonstrate that a fashion brand can be committed to reviving European wool.
- The Biofabrique concept illustrates how local food waste can be transformed into dyes and pigments.
- Byborre on-demand knitting bridges technology and textiles, leveraging digital tools to enhance supply chain transparency and traceability.
- ClickNL emphasized the importance of uniting stakeholders around a shared vision and coordinated action.
- The Or Foundation advocates for a two-way exchange between the Global North and South to reduce landfills and foster new production models. Additional insights were shared by CLICKNL.
Key Takeaways
One of the most significant insights from the day was the positive tone regarding change. The transition toward circular practices for a more sustainable future is underway, but it's a journey that cannot be undertaken alone. Sharing spaces to exchange experiences, innovations, efforts, and knowledge unlocks powerful opportunities for collaboration and demonstrates how collective engagement across the ecosystem can drive the transition toward a more sustainable and circular fashion and textile industry. Another important takeaway is that production and waste must remain local, while ideas continue to travel worldwide.
