Restored former warehouse Castaway Portland will serve as the venue for the duration, September 19-20.

The sustainability summit, set to be a highlight, will kick off proceedings on the morning of day one. FDRA said the event will provide “a blueprint for how companies create new systems, products and strategies to boost return on investment today, while creating new revenue streams for tomorrow… reducing our footprints along the way.”

Topics to be discussed range from regenerative farming to “new bio innovations”, understanding recycled materials, sustainable design case studies, water impact, end-of-life options and updates, issues with life cycle assessment (LCA), plus a review of relevant US and European Union legislation in its current form.

Confirmed sponsors include materials innovators Evoco, Lenzing and Bloom (and its developer, Dynamic Foam), in addition to leather supplier ISA TanTec and footwear technology specialists OrthoLite and Micro-Pak.

Register for the Shoe Sustainability Summit here or sign up for a special combo ticket for all three events here.

Learn more about the complications involved in LCA exercises in the latest World Footwear, issue two for 2023.