How can art and design schools move beyond surface-level sustainability and radically reimagine fashion and textile education for a world in crisis? This panel brings together educators, researchers, students, and industry voices to explore how Belfast School of Art is embedding regenerative practices into its teaching from slowing down, mending, low-impact dyeing and fibre innovation to systems thinking and ethical design.

Together, we’ll examine how we equip the next generation not just to enter industry—but to change it. We’ll ask: What does meaningful sustainability look like in education? How do we connect students with land, labour, and legacy? And how do we avoid preparing graduates for industries that harm the planet?

Prof Alison Gault (Senior Lecturer at Belfast School of Art, Ulster University)

Join natural dyer Malú Colorín from Talú in a fun workshop where we'll discover how to transform plants into colours for textiles! We will delve into the main principles to consider when choosing dyestuffs and learn tried and tested methods to get the colour to stay.

We will use a mixture of plants foraged on-site, kitchen scraps and some historical European dye plants known for their colour reliability. You will learn how to prepare the textiles and what are the best plants (and kitchen scraps) to use for dyeing. 

Read more & book tickets

The Gaia Foundation teamed up with the Hot Poets - a community interest company bringing together poetry and science to make the planet cool again. Together, they commissioned 10 incredible spoken work artists to tell the stories sprouting from regenerative farms through 2024-2025, covering issues from climate resilience to food justice. 10 poets, 10 photographers, 10 food growers were brought together as part of the campaign: We Feed The UK, which showed at Belfast Exposed in February this year, presenting works about Mallon Farm.

The 10 poetry pieces will be screened during lunch.

From soil to sustenance to sustainable style — this panel digs deep into the vital role of land. We’ll explore regenerative farming, seed saving, and soil care not just for food, but for natural fibres like flax. Discover how growing with care supports biodiversity, nourishes the earth, and weaves a future rooted in balance — where what we eat and what we wear both help the planet thrive.

Helen Keys MBE (Farmer, Entrepreneur in Residence at QUBSU, Director of Irony Metalworks Ltd, Mallon Linen, co founder of Venture Folk and Source Grow)
Richie Walsh (Seed Sovereignty Programme Coordinator for Ireland)
Cormac Dollan (Northern Ireland Manager, Nature Friendly Farming Network)

From global giants to grassroots makers, this panel unpicks the tangled threads of the fashion industry. We’ll stitch together big-picture questions and small-scale solutions — from ditching fast fashion to embracing natural fibre processing. Join us as we explore how local producers and multinationals alike can weave a more ethical, sustainable textile system.

Christian Volkmann (Enviro Retail Coordinator UK and Ireland at Patagonia)
Amy Anderson (Founder and Creative Director at Kindred of Ireland)

In this talk, Malú Colorín – co-founder of Fibreshed Ireland – will give us an overview of the current state of the textile industry in the island of Ireland, with a focus on natural fibres. She will then offer some invitations to prefigurate or co-create the kind of collaborative and regenerative textile ecosystem we want to live in.

Native Coffee are about more than just serving coffee, they host a variety of independent businesses and artists from Belfast and across Northern Ireland. They have built their community on coffee, connection and creativity - check out their Climate Cafes & Sober Socials.

They’re going to be serving hot drinks through the day.

Bakari Bakery are a family-run artisan bakery in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 

Inspired by Scandinavian baking traditions, we strive to bring the people of Belfast delicious baked goods using local, organic ingredients where possible and imported organic where necessary.

They’re supplying our beautiful pastries each day.

Rather than bringing food trucks onto our site, we would love if you would support our food neighbours - the local businesses who serve up amazing food from pizzas to bagels, from lebanese to cheese - we’re spoiled, so please support them.

Deerah, The Boxing Hare, Bodega Bagels, Mikes Fancy Cheese .. don’t forget the Watson food hatch!

Our favourite bar in Belfast just happens to be our neighbour too & have been an important part of our events during our time on the Belfast Stories site. During the festival the Sunflower Pub will be our bar partner during the evening events on the site.

http://www.sunflowerbelfast.com/