VANCOUVER, 16 October 2026 — Samata Pattinson, CEO and Founder of BLACK PEARL, hosted the 2026 Textile Exchange Conference, held 12–16 October at the Vancouver Convention Centre. More than 1,300 participants from across the global fashion, textile and agricultural sectors joined in person and virtually.
Under the theme The Implementation Era, this year’s conference focused on turning planning into practice: scaling what works across businesses, supply systems and landscapes. Guided by the launch of Textile Exchange’s new action pathways, the agenda brought together brands, material producers, farmers, innovators, non-profits and academics to move from frameworks to everyday decision-making across preferred cropping, recycling and animal material production systems.
As host, Pattinson guided audiences through three days of keynotes, breakout sessions and the announcement of the Climate and Nature Impact Awards, which recognise the individuals and partnerships driving measurable change in how fibres and raw materials are produced. She also led a roundtable during the conference, [roundtable title and focus]. The programme closed on 16 October with field trips offering firsthand access to local textile waste solutions, Indigenous stewardship and emerging microbial colour applications.
For BLACK PEARL, hosting was a deliberate choice. The decisions shaping fashion’s future are increasingly being made at the start of the supply system, in how fibres are grown, sourced, recycled and verified, long before a garment reaches a runway, a stage or a screen. Being in the room where those decisions are made keeps BLACK PEARL connected to the producers, brands and innovators setting the direction of the textile industry, and positions the organisation at the centre of the conversation about where materials are heading next. It also allows BLACK PEARL to carry that knowledge back into the cultural spaces it works across, translating supply-system realities for the artists, audiences and communities who shape what the world wears.
“Culture and materials can’t be separate conversations anymore,” said Pattinson. “What happens on a farm in Maharashtra or in a recycling facility in Portugal shows up in what an artist wears on a red carpet and what a student learns about fashion. BLACK PEARL exists to connect those worlds. Being at the heart of Textile Exchange means we’re not just reporting on where the industry is going — we’re part of shaping it, and making sure the people behind the work are seen.”
Pattinson brings a cultural lens to the materials conversation, connecting fashion, music, entertainment and education through BLACK PEARL’s work. She is a Vogue Champion of Change, was named to Vogue Business’s 2024 100 Innovators list, and appears in The Independent’s Climate 100 List 2026. The conference took place on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
About BLACK PEARL
BLACK PEARL is a cultural organisation bridging design, fashion, music, entertainment and education, putting people and community at the heart of how culture is made and shared.
About Textile Exchange
Textile Exchange is a global non-profit working with brands, manufacturers and farmers to drive climate- and nature-positive impact across the fashion and textile supply chain. Founded in 2002, it brings the industry together around preferred fibres and materials, credible standards and responsible supply networks, and owns widely used certifications including the Responsible Down Standard. Its annual conference convenes leaders from across the supply system to share knowledge and accelerate change.
Learn more at TextileExchange.org.
