Climate Leaders Gathered in New York City
Industry experts discussed fashion circularity at the MetLife Building during Climate Week.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Fashion
Live Poll
Do you believe industry networking events effectively drive progress toward sustainable business practices?
Alternew and industry partners hosted the Climate Leaders Roundtable Breakfast at the MetLife Building in New York City. More than 100 attendees participated in the event to discuss the intersection of fashion, technology, and climate.
Why it matters
The event provides a critical forum for leaders to address the lack of funding for sustainable systems within the global fashion industry. It serves as a platform to foster collaboration on circular business practices during the annual Climate Week.
The roundtable event at 200 Park Avenue drew over 100 participants, marking a significant increase from the 80 attendees who previously crowded a 60-person shop in the Lower East Side.
The players
Alternew
Alternew is an organization that served as a co-host for the Climate Leaders Roundtable Breakfast.
Fillogic
Fillogic is a logistics and technology company that sponsored the event venue at the MetLife Building.
The details
Participants utilized a speed dating-style format, engaging in brief, simultaneous roundtable discussions on sustainability topics. Fillogic sponsored the venue for the gathering held on the 8th floor of the skyscraper.
Timeline
Thursday, September 24, 2026: The Climate Leaders Roundtable Breakfast occurred.
2025: The Circularity Gap Report quantified circular business financial streams.
2027: Fillogic plans to sponsor the roundtable event again.
Culture Shift
The roundtable reflects a broader push to move beyond the findings of the 2025 Circularity Gap Report by facilitating direct networking between tech innovators and fashion leaders. This gathering underscores the growing industry emphasis on circularity as a necessary evolution for global apparel brands.
The shift of the event to a larger venue at 200 Park Avenue allows for more professionals to engage with sustainability strategies without the capacity constraints experienced at previous Lower East Side locations. This increased capacity suggests that local networking opportunities for green-tech in fashion are becoming more accessible to industry professionals.
The takeaway
The move to a larger venue highlights the scaling interest in sustainable fashion solutions among industry leaders. Implementing these circular models remains a long-term challenge given that only 2 percent of global investments currently support these businesses.
What happens next
Fillogic has committed to sponsoring the roundtable event again in 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in the industry at our Fashion section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WWD.
Live Poll
Do you believe industry networking events effectively drive progress toward sustainable business practices?
