Fashion & Textiles NZ Announces Speaker Line Up For National Industry-First Summit

Fashion & Textiles New Zealand (FTNZ) has announced the speakers for the Threads of Tomorrow Summit, a national, industry-first event bringing together leaders from across Aotearoa’s fibre, textile, manufacturing, design and retail ecosystem, with backing from Principal Sponsor ASB.

Taking place in Auckland on 16 June 2026, the one-day Summit will convene over 200 decision-makers to explore how New Zealand can strengthen its global competitiveness, build higher-value industries, and accelerate innovation across the sector.

Headline speakers include: Minister of Finance, Hon. Nicola Willis, Futurist Victoria Mulligan, Co-Founder & Director of Design Futures Aotearoa, Emma Wallace, Managing Director of Kowtow, and Mark Little and Sarah Hayes of global outdoor brand Patagonia, delivering a keynote on “The End of Business as Usual - What the Next Decade Demands” presented by Zentera, the company behind ZQ and ZQ+, the world’s leading marks for high-quality wool.

Threads of Tomorrow Summit marks the first time the full breadth of the industry, from fibre and materials through to finished products and global brands, has been brought together in a single forum in Aotearoa.

Jacinta FitzGerald, Chief Executive of Fashion & Textiles New Zealand, says the Summit represents a pivotal moment for the sector.

“This industry contributes billions to New Zealand’s economy and employs tens of thousands of people, yet it has often operated in parts rather than as a connected system and Fashion & Textiles NZ is looking to change that.

Threads of Tomorrow Summit is about bringing those parts together, to build a shared understanding of where value is created, where the opportunities lie, and how we move forward with greater alignment and ambition.”

Rebecca James, ASB’s Executive General Manager Business Banking says,

“We’re committed to supporting a strong, globally competitive sector in New Zealand by backing Kiwi fibre, textile and fashion businesses with the capital, guidance and data-led insights they need.

Our initiatives like Every Hectare Matters are helping drive adaptation, innovation and long-term resilience, and we’re proud to be part of this inaugural summit to bring leaders and ideas together to shape a stronger future for the sector."

A national conversation on value, innovation and global competitiveness

The Summit programme is structured around three core themes, Place, Possibility and Momentum, reflecting New Zealand’s unique strengths, emerging opportunities, and the shifts shaping the decade ahead.

Sessions will explore:

• New Zealand’s fibre and materials advantage, and how value is created from land to market
• The realities of circularity as a business and market requirement
• The global forces shaping demand, investment and competitiveness
• The role of design, innovation and manufacturing in building higher-value outcomes

Building a more connected, high-value industry

The Summit builds on insights from the Threads of Tomorrow industry report, which identified significant opportunities to grow value through innovation, capability, market development and stronger industry alignment.

By convening leaders from across the value chain, including growers, manufacturers, designers, brands, innovators, researchers and policymakers, the event aims to create a more connected and future-focused industry.

In conjunction with the Summit, FTNZ will launch a Future of Manufacturing Strategy, developed with EY to strengthen Aotearoa’s fashion and textiles manufacturing ecosystem.

“New Zealand has all the ingredients - world-class natural fibres, strong design capability, and a reputation for integrity and innovation,” says FitzGerald.

The opportunity now is how we connect these strengths more effectively, build demand in global markets, and create products and systems that are distinct, trusted and hard to replicate.”

Event details

Threads of Tomorrow Summit
Shed 10, Queens Wharf, Auckland
16 June 2026

Notes:

• Fashion & Textiles New Zealand is the industry peak body representing Aotearoa’s fashion and textiles ecosystem
• The sector contributes approximately $7.8 billion to the New Zealand economy and employs around 76,000 people
• The Threads of Tomorrow Summit is part of a broader programme of work to strengthen the sector’s long-term competitiveness, sustainability and global positioning

First wave of speakers announced:

• Nicola Turner, Speaker and Author, Mainstream Green (MC)
• Hon. Nicola Willis, Minister of Finance
• Victoria Mulligan, Futurist, Co-Founder & Director, Design Futures Aotearoa
• Pip Best, Partner, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY NZ
• Mark Little, Category Senior Director - Lifestyle Essentials, Patagonia
• Sarah Hayes, Director of Materials Development, Patagonia
• Natalie Norman, Head of Sales & Success, Zentera
• Roanne Jacobson, Founder and Creative Director, Saben
• Santosh Mohanram, SVP, Global Sales & Marketing, Trustrace
• Emma Wallace, Managing Director, Kowtow
• Tim Deane, Managing Director, Norsewear
• Sophie Poelman, Founder and Designer, Lof
• Sean Sloan, Market Development & Commercial Manager, Avery Dennison
• Ainsley Simpson, CEO, Seamless Australia
• Jonathan Mountfort, Creative Director, Autex Acoustics
• Sophie Hurley, Founder, Honest Wolf
• Nick Morrison, Founding Director, Go Well Consulting
• Shelley Houston, Founder & CEO, KiwiLeather Innovations

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