Conversations That Shape Change
Understanding how sustainability works in practice is an important step for students preparing to enter the fashion and textile industry. While topics such as chemical management, responsible production and supply chain transparency are increasingly part of academic programmes, it is essential to connect these concepts with real-world industry experience.
To bridge that gap, ZDHC is launching a new podcast series developed in collaboration with a student from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI).
Through interviews with experts in the field, the series explores sustainable chemical management and how it connects with wider transformations in the fashion and textile industry. Listeners, including students and young professionals, can hear directly from industry voices about the role of chemistry, innovation and responsible production in shaping a more sustainable future for fashion and textiles.
The podcast series was developed with and co-hosted by Ana Maria Thomé; a recent graduate of AMFI whose work and vision were instrumental in shaping the concept and bringing the series to life. By creating a conversational format, the series allows students to hear directly from industry voices about the role that chemistry, innovation and responsible production play in shaping a more sustainable future for fashion and textiles.
I am truly inspired by the conversations we held this past autumn. Previously, “sustainability” as a concept felt overwhelming. But change IS happening, and we can all take part.
- Ana Marie Thomé, AMFI, Fashion & Management student
By creating a conversational format, the series allows students to hear directly from industry voices about the role that chemistry, innovation and responsible production play in shaping a more sustainable future for fashion and textiles.
We created this series to explore what sustainable fashion looks like in real-life, and to inspire the next generation of leadership with a positive vision of the future.
- Andrew Hoy Mades, ZDHC, Senior Project Management Associate
While the conversations were created with students and emerging professionals in mind, they are not limited to that audience. The podcasts will be available to everyone through the ZDHC website and are intended for anyone interested in how sustainability and chemistry intersect with the broader transformation of the fashion and textile industry.
The podcast series explores how sustainable chemical management connects with wider conversations shaping the future of fashion and textiles.
Through conversations with active innovators, the series considers how sustainability intersects with areas such as innovation, design thinking, business strategy and emerging perspectives from academia and future professionals.
For students in particular, these voices offer valuable insights into how sustainability challenges are approached in real-world settings. These conversations help translate academic concepts into the practical reality of implementing change across global value chains.
By bringing together views from across the industry, the series creates space for open discussion about the challenges, opportunities and ideas that continue to shape the transition towards safer and more responsible production.
One of the most encouraging aspects of this series is the opportunity it creates to connect industry knowledge with the perspectives of those preparing to enter the sector.
Students and emerging professionals often approach sustainability with a strong sense of curiosity, a sense of the need for change and a desire to understand how change happens in practice. This series illustrates that change is possible and that academic training can, in fact, be turned into real-world implementation.
At the same time, these conversations offer the industry something valuable in return: fresh perspectives and new ways of thinking about the evolving challenges of the fashion and textile industry.
As the fashion and textile industry continues its transition towards safer chemistry and more responsible production, the conversations we have today will help shape the solutions of tomorrow.
Creating opportunities for dialogue between industry and those preparing to enter the sector is an important part of that progress. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the podcast series encourages reflection on the challenges, innovations, and ideas that shape how sustainability evolves across the fashion and textile value chain.
Whether someone is discovering sustainable chemical management for the first time or already working within the field, these conversations offer an opportunity to explore different viewpoints and better understand the role that chemistry, collaboration and innovation play in building a more sustainable future.
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