New Handworker Economy Convening & Dinner

“At Nest’s third annual Artisan Leadership Summit last Thursday at the United Nations, panel topics ranged from wastewater management to the media’s role in affecting change and, most significantly, the new handworker economy. Consider it an old-school solution for a very new-world dilemma. Sustaining and empowering the handworker—for instance, an embroiderer in India or a tie-dyer in Kenya—can address environmental issues as well as economic, social, and gender-equality issues.”

“Returning fashion luxury to its artisan roots was one of the key themes during a panel session at nonprofit Nest’s Third Annual Handworker Leadership Summit last week at the United Nations. During “Fashion’s New Value System: Redefining Luxury Through the Lenses of Craftsmanship and Authenticity,” panelists offered insights on the evolution of craftsmanship in the luxury sector. The panel was moderated by Steven Kolb, the president and chief executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and included Simone Cipriani, the head and founder of the Ethical Fashion Initiative, and Burak Cakmak, the dean of fashion at The New School’s Parsons School of Design.”

“Sara Otto, the director of artisan compliance and programming at Nest, said the “improper treatment of wastewater from apparel and home goods production has long been a social and environmental issue globally.” Otto continued, “There still remains a gap in creating effective and relevant solutions for artisan businesses,” and that for artisans seeking wastewater solutions, “the collaboration between artisan businesses and brands is absolutely necessary.””