On September 20th, we returned home! Our Fair Fashion Festival is one of Threading Change’s largest and most meaningful initiatives, bringing together community members, brands, organizations, governments, and researchers under one roof to reimagine a just and sustainable fashion future.

This year, our festival traveled across four cities, from Montreal, to Victoria, to York, and finally, back to Vancouver. Returning to the city where Threading Change was born was bittersweet; knowing we have such a large community behind us, but also realizing how much more there is to weave together as we continue building a global movement for fashion justice.

This year, we hosted an inspiring Museum of Changemakers, including organizations such as Tanah Air Project, YVR Fat Clothing Swap, and BC Native Women’s Association. Our Founder & Executive Director hosted a keynote presentation, and led a panel discussion with Annika Luo – designer & researcher turning textile waste into innovative fashion, with a global perspective on waste streams, Brianna LePiane – sales & sustainability strategist helping ethical products grow in the market through human-centered thinking and systems, and Sarah Murray – fashion educator & BC Apparel & Gear Association board member offering a systems-wide perspective on BC’s apparel ecosystem. Together, they shared their perspectives on Vancouver’s circular fashion future.

One of our workshops was hosted by Tanah Air & Ritmos, where they explored belonging as a climate solution, incorporating ideas about fashion & waste within their discussion. The Batik Library hosted our second workshop, teaching participants about batik making – a resist-dyeing technique using melted wax to create patterns on fabric before dyeing it.

Throughout the day, we hosted a clothing swap, mending station, and community quilt where individuals could share what they hope to change about the fashion industry! We’re so grateful for our sponsors, the City of Vancouver & the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions for helping us make the day such a success.

We’ve gathered responses from participants, TC staff members, & designers about their experience at FFF Vancouver! Keep reading to hear about their perspectives!

Sara McQuaid, Director of Programs & Partnerships @ Threading Change

Planning and promoting the FFF is one of my favourite responsibilities at Threading Change. It’s a big undertaking, blending education with fashion and finding the right way to weave together the intersectional work that defines Threading Change. But it’s about so much more than securing the perfect venue. It’s about continually discovering new ways to educate the public on some of the most pressing issues of our time, how to reach people, help them understand the deep consequences of an unsustainable fashion industry, and do so without overwhelming them with eco-anxiety.

In a world that constantly tells us happiness comes from consumption, FFF feels like something radically hopeful. It’s a space where joy is redefined, where happiness is woven through community, connection, and shared purpose.

All the careful planning, balancing, and collaboration are worth it when that space comes to life: warm, welcoming, and rooted in circularity and climate resilience. Being inside the Museum of Changemakers is always a highlight for me, surrounded by those working towards goodness and engaged in compassionate, energizing conversations. It gives me hope and courage for the future, reminding me that collective action is not only possible but already happening.

Natalie Chiovitti, Museum of Changemakers Participant & Graphic Designer, Visual Artist, and Researcher
Participating in the Fair Fashion Festival Vancouver reaffirmed my commitment to fostering public dialogue around sustainable fashion and supporting designers in using communication design to address sustainable consumption. As a graphic designer, the Fair Fashion Festival Vancouver offered an opportunity to connect with the local community and share my Master of Design thesis project which I completed at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. The project is called: “Footnotes on Designers’ Perspectives: Climate-Centric Communication Design for Sustainable Fashion Consumption” which is a collection of diverse personal experiences and perspectives of seven student designers and visual artists navigating consuming, maintaining, and messaging in sustainable fashion in Vancouver, Canada. Many recognized these experiences as similar to their own while also learning from others. For me, this festival provided an energizing space for conversations about second-hand choices, retail buying, garment repair, personal style, advocacy for transparent fashion industry messaging, and the everyday struggles of balancing of sustainable practices with competing factors such as convenience. Many voiced a shared belief in the power of community-level change, emphasizing the roles of awareness, community dialogue, skill-building, and legislation, which can be facilitated by communication design. This is exciting as we continue to learn how we can live without harming the planet.

Sophia Yang, Founder & Executive Director @ Threading Change

Threading Change was founded in 2020 during unprecedented times: a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and a fear of what lies ahead. However, the organization was created during these polarizing times to bring communities together to address elements that weave the fabric of our very lives, clothing. Our work is strongly rooted in intersectionality, placing equal emphasis on the environmental and social dimensions of fashion, with the primary goal of engaging youth in the fashion industry, abiding by the belief that training the current and future generations of fashion leaders through creative and engaging ways will move mountains.

In many ways, 2025 is not that different from 2020. We once again find ourselves amongst great geopolitical tension and uncertainty. But one thing’s for certain, the power of community and youth empowerment will always prevail.

Our Fair Fashion Festival events, launched during Fashion Revolution Week 2024 in April in Vancouver, are a culmination of all the experiences and learnings we’ve gained in the 3.5 years, moulded together through hope and optimism, driven by the power of convening and creativity.

FFF Vancouver in 2025 was truly special. Not only was it our homecoming FFF event in Vancouver, our headquarters and where we launched, but getting the opportunity to work with the City of Vancouver so closely to bring this event to life signified the collective support and belief the movement has accumulated over the last few years. After all, municipalities and local governments have a massive role to play when it comes to textile waste diversion and education. Having the opportunity to deliver the keynote at Vancouver City Hall to over 100 attendees on the history and journey of Threading Change, why intersectionality is critical, and showcasing powerful local actors during our panel discussion, ranging from fashion educators, to designers, and business consultants, has paved the way for Threading Change’s necessary and impactful work to continue in Vancouver for years to come, but also set a model and standard for how local governments can be engaging youth and local communities to be true agents of change in the circular economy.

Sophie Peterson, Museum of Changemaker Participant & Founder of Second Salvation

Threading Change has given me the opportunity to showcase my sustainable designs at their fashion festivals on a few occasions. Each time, I leave feeling more fulfilled and inspired than the last. It’s incredibly energizing to be surrounded by like minded individuals who share a bold vision for the future of fashion. The entire initiative is doing incredible work. Raising awareness, sparking conversation, and inspiring meaningful action. It’s a powerful example of how real change begins.

Aish Mann, Development & Impact Director @ Threading Change

As someone who works closely with data and reporting, I often see impact in numbers; attendance, textiles diverted, engagement rates. But at Fair Fashion Festival Vancouver, those numbers came alive. Seeing over a hundred people fill City Hall, exchanging clothes and ideas, was a living reminder that circularity is both measurable and deeply human.

Running our workshop at Fair Fashion Festival Vancouver was one of the most rewarding moments of the year. Facilitating a space where participants shared stories, reflected on belonging, and offered feedback in real time made that impact tangible.

Collaborating with partners like Ritmos and Metro Vancouver deepened my understanding of how circularity connects to culture, identity, and waste. Every response, every idea from the community, helps us refine our programming, ensuring it’s not just informative but grounded in lived experience.

Watching people leave with new insights, new friendships, and repaired clothing reminded me why we do this work: collective learning is where real systems change begins.

We hope to see you at our next Fair Fashion Festival!

Fair Fashion Festival: Vancouver 2025

Stepping Into the World of Sustainable Fashion