2025 Keynote Panels
We are excited to introduce two keynote panels discussing our industry’s most current updates.
A Discussion on Navigating Tariff Turbulence
Join Bob Kirke from the Canadian Apparel Federation, Dave Pentland from Carson Custom Brokers, Mathieu St-Arnaud from mmode, the Montreal Fashion Cluster, Ayr Barnett from AYRTIGHT and Once was Wolf Consulting, and Paul King from KenDor Textiles and BCAG as they cover such topics as:
Tariff Engineering to minimize Duty Exposure
Finding new Global Markets vs US Duty Challenges
Value for Duty in a Changing Landscape
Beyond Borders: Innovation as a Competitive Edge
Hosted by Ruth Kelly of Weft x Warp, who will be joined by Betsy Franjola of PREFACE, Stephanie Phillips of Kwantlen Polytechnic, Alexa Suter of Huha Underwear, and Molly Kremidas of Prutex Nylon. This panel will bring together voices from across the apparel and textile innovation landscape. Speakers include a representative from a major brand’s innovation team and experts from the fibre and mill sectors.
As tariffs reshape the flow of textiles and apparel between Canada and the United States, innovation has become the defining factor for competitiveness. From advanced fibres and performance wear to circular design, forward-thinking companies are finding ways to thrive beyond the barriers of trade policy.
A special focus will be given to The Fabric of the Future: Cross-Border Collaboration in R&D—how Canadian and U.S. companies and institutions can jointly advance textile science through textile innovation breakthroughs.