Amsterdam follows in Copenhagen’s footsteps: fashion goes green
The fashion industry is aligning itself with concrete sustainable requirements. And this time, it’s Amsterdam that’s announcing a decisive shift inspired by its Danish neighbor.
Amsterdam, a catalyst for European change
In recent years, Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) has established itself as a model for responsible fashion. Its framework of sustainable development requirements, rigorously implemented on its catwalks, is starting to set an example. After convincing the British Fashion Council, it’s now the turn of Amsterdam Fashion Week (AFW ) to align itself with its standards.
Amsterdam Fashion Week formalizes a strategic partnership with CPHFW, aimed at “accelerating sustainable action in Nordic and Benelux fashion”. A rapprochement that goes beyond declarations of intent: AFW adopts the Danish sustainability framework in its admission criteria, with a pilot phase from August 2025.
Progressive but demanding implementation
Thirty brands present on the official program of the next edition – scheduled to start on August 30 – will be evaluated according to CPHFW standards. The aim is to introduce mandatory compliance with strict sustainability criteria for inclusion in the official program by September 2026.
For Danie Bles, Director of AFW, this shift is essential: “Sustainability is not optional: it’s the future of fashion”. The message is clear: Europe’s creative showcase can no longer ignore its environmental and social impact.
Towards sustainable standardization on a continental scale
This strategic alliance illustrates the desire to create a common language for responsibility in fashion. For Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of CPHFW, this partnership reinforces a key objective: to establish shared standards on a European scale. A logic already initiated with the Norwegian Fashion Hub, Oslo Runway and Berlin Fashion Week.
A step towards more coherent fashion in Amsterdam?
It remains to be seen whether these commitments will translate into concrete changes in production, materials and traceability. In a sector where image often prevails over action, credibility will henceforth depend on measurable results.
Also read: Louis Vuitton enters the art of living
