Together we design new stories for fashion

ReFan: a shared future vision for a fair, sustainable clothing culture

What if we reinvent fashion?
What if branded clothes went out of fashion?
What if every child learns to sew and knit?
What if every garment is as unique as every human being?

On 19 June 2025, more than 45 pioneers from the fashion and textile chain gathered at the Kohnstammhuis in Amsterdam for ReFan – Reshaping the Fashion Narrative. This gathering brought together researchers, designers, entrepreneurs, repairers, influencers, teachers and students to build, through co-creation, a new narrative for fashion: fairer, more sustainable and more meaningful.

Watch the aftermovie at the bottom of this page for an impression of the day.

“The problem of fashion lies in the word ‘fashion’ itself.”

Why ReFan?
ReFan started from an urgent observation: The problem of fashion lies in the word ‘fashion’ itself. The constant drive for innovation fuels overproduction, overconsumption and depletion – of people, resources and ecosystems. Technological solutions are needed, but not enough. We need a new narrative.
One in which clothing is about identity, care, connection and value.

ReFan’s central question:
How do we create a new cultural narrative around clothing and textiles – one that encourages sustainable choices and strengthens social and ecological awareness?

The day itself: co-creation as catalyst
Participants delved into imagination, dialogue and research via creative working methods – such as Ode to your clothes (by The Sewing Factory) and Fashion Fictions (developed by Amy Twigger Holroyd). Groups worked on future scenarios around questions such as: What are we leaving behind in the current fashion system? What does a desirable future for fashion look like? What does fashion mean if we separate it from trends?

The output:
The day produced surprising visions of the future, new connections between makers, thinkers and doers, and a shared desire to continue building a different story together. Almost all participants (98%) said they wanted to stay actively involved in the follow-up.

How to proceed?
The meeting marked the beginning of a journey. Follow-up steps will follow in the autumn, including deepening the scenarios and methodologies used, broadening the scope to other regions and target groups, and a publication bringing together the insights, working methods and stories. This will create an open source of inspiration for everyone who wants to contribute to a sustainable fashion culture.

ReFan is a collaboration between the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) and CHANGENCY, in collaboration with the Centre of Expertise for Creative Innovation (HvA) and the research community NewTexEco.

NewTexEco supports initiatives like ReFan that contribute to a sustainable and social future for textiles through design and research.

Thanks to:
Speakers, hosts and participants, including:
Jose Teunissen (AMFI), Sophie Buchel (DRIFT), Hussein Suleiman (Daily Paper), Ellen Mensink (Brightfiber), Willem Swager (Patagonia), Anne Boermans(Zeefier®), Stijntje Jaspers (Fibershed NL), Merijn van Ham (Zeeman), Anne Moes (Hogeschool van Amsterdam), and many others.

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Aftermovie: Inez Quakkelaar (Studio HER)
Visual identity: Jan Willem van den Ban