Kingpins is doubling down on its dedication to sustainable denim in recent months. The trade show producer recently announced its Kingpins Transformers event was becoming a nonprofit entity that served to turn ideas into action. Now, the organization has joined forces with the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships.
On Wednesday, Kingpins announced it was named an official UN partner and, as such, is committing to making the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a central focus for its shows moving forward.
In 2015, the Conscious Fashion Campaign developed 17 SDGs that will establish a more eco-responsible future by addressing challenges like poverty, inequality and climate change. Part of the organization’s goals for business by 2030 include adopting the SDGs, incorporating circular production solutions, highlighting key innovations and facilitating knowledge-sharing.
As Kingpins produces events that bring together denim professionals from around the world, it’s well-positioned to facilitate the collaboration necessary to achieve the UN’s lofty goals.
“The concepts of sustainability and transparency are key to how we approach our events,” Kingpins Show founder Andrew Olah said in a statement. “It informs everything from the exhibitors we select and the requirements we make of them, the speakers we present, the production of our shows—all of it.”
In 2019, Kingpins Show set a new precedent for trade shows when it required denim exhibitors to meet supply chain standards. Starting with its April 2019 Amsterdam show, it required that all exhibiting mills meet a Corporate Social Responsibility standard by 2020, and that they agree to sustainable chemical management protocols by the end of 2020.
“We’re always looking to expand not only our own commitment to cleaner denim, but to engage with the industry and give them the tools to do better,” Olah added. “This is why we are so excited to collaborate with the Conscious Fashion Campaign and the UN. We are on the same page, and having their voice join ours—having their team members come and speak directly with our audience and learn our industry and help us find ways to employ the SDGs—it only helps make the message that much clearer.”
