PCIAW® SUMMIT 2023
7 – 9th November 2023 | Alfandega Congress Centre, Porto, Portugal
PCIAW® SUMMIT | PCIAW® AWARDS
The PCIAW® Summit is an educational event for the global professional clothing and textiles supply chain with unique networking opportunities.
The PCIAW® Summit is being hosted in Portugal for the first time to act as bridge in the global textiles supply chain and bring together industry professionals to educate on new innovations and share knowledge on solutions to shared industry challenges.

Elena Lai, Secretary-General of ETSA is Chairing the PCIAW® Summit 2023
"I am truly thankful to Yvette Ashby and PCIAW® colleagues for this fantastic opportunity. The inherent circularity and sustainability of textile services will certainly strengthen the debate with the textile value chain, in Porto. There are important challenges ahead of our industry, in Europe and beyond, therefore further cooperation will be instrumental".
- Elena Lai, Secretary-General, European Textile Services Association (ETSA)

Sanjiv Bhaskar, Vice President of Research for Frost & Sullivan is a Keynote Speaker at the PCIAW® Summit 2023
“Sustainability efforts are presently minimal in PPE Industry. End user awareness and legislative actions will force PPE vendors to demonstrate measurable sustainability efforts to maintain competitive advantage in the coming years".
- Sanjiv Bhaskar, Vice President of Research, Frost & Sullivan

Dirk Vantyghem, Director-General of EURATEX is a Keynote Speaker at the PCIAW® Summit 2023
“I am delighted to talk to the PCIAW® global audience and explain what is happening in Brussels. Today, we are looking at around 20 pieces of European legislation. Concrete legislation that will change the way the textile and clothing industry operates, produces things, handles waste et cetera. I always say that the textile and fashion industries are moving from an unregulated sector to becoming a very regulated industry. We should all get ready for these changes, inside and outside the European Union”.
- Dirk Vantyghem, Director-General, European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX)
Our Sponsors







The Timeline
7th November
Textile and apparel factory tours for delegates arranged by ANIVEC the Portuguese association for clothing and apparel, who is a long-term partner of PCIAW®.
8th November
PCIAW® Summit Part 1 begins at 9:00am until 1:30pm followed by a networking lunch. The PCIAW® Exhibition begins at 1:30pm until 4pm.
9th November
PCIAW® Summit Part 2 begins at 9:00am until 1:00pm. The PCIAW® Exhibition begins at 1:00pm until 4pm.
The PCIAW® Summit 2023 Timeline - The New Trajectory
PCIAW® Summit Day 1
8th November 2023
09:00AM - 13:25PM
Opening Addresses

PCIAW® Opening Address
Yvette Ashby, CEO, PCIAW®
John Miln and Yvette Ashby welcome delegates to Europe’s biggest professional clothing event.

ANIVEC Opening Address
César Araújo welcomes the PCIAW® Summit, Exhibition & Awards 2023 to Portugal, a long term nearshore manufacturing partner for the professional clothing industry.

Carrington Textiles
Premier Sponsor Address
Neil Davey speaks on the importance of education and networking in the professional clothing industry, and how PCIAW®’s global advocation of sustainable practice and social value resonates with Carrington Textiles’ international operation in the workwear fabric markets.

ETSA Chairs the PCIAW® Summit
Elena Lai, Chair of the event, introduces the PCIAW® Summit, speaking on the important cross over between professional clothing and textile services industries as stakeholders collaborate to achieve the shared objectives of net zero and circularity.
Q&A – 5 minutes
Opening Addresses End

Frost & Sullivan Speaks on Market Growth Opportunities
Sanjiv Bhaskar evaluates the market performance of the professional clothing industry, looking at emerging trends such as the re-engineering of supply chains and sustainability investment, comparing with other critical industries that are trying to improve supply chain resilience.
Q&A – 5 minutes

Green Chemistry
Dr Krause educates on the responsibilities of chemical management in the professional clothing and textile industries, looking at organic colour dyes and changes in accreditations in consideration of the PFAS debate.
Q&A - 5 minutes
Networking break
EU Regulations on a Trajectory to Mandate Sustainability and Circularity in the Textile Industry

EURATEX Presents on EU Policy Thinking
Exploring EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and the implications for the textile industry with 20 pieces of European legislation to consider.
Q&A – 5 minutes

Industry Panel on the Implications of EU Ecodesign Regulations
Josh Moody, Director of Product Management, Westex: A Milliken Brand
Pascale Florant, Secretary-General, GINETEX
Dr João Valério, CEO, RECUTEX
Marco Volpi, Customer Relationship Manager, bluesign®
Discussing the practicalities of ecodesign requirements: recycled content inclusion, repairability and recyclability, in an expert panel to understand how the professional clothing markets will be affected.
Q&A - 10 minutes

Industry Panel on the Implications of EU Sustainability Regulations
Mandeep Soor, CEO, Co-Founder, Bendi
Louise Becart, Business Strategy Analyst, Carrington Textiles
Dr Annette Van Es, Co-owner, Fibre2Fashion Consulting KIG
Dr Kelly Sheridan, Research Director, The Microfibre Consortium
Reviewing the effect of potential EU regulations around, microfibre pollution reduction, the digital product passport and green claims to give insights into the actions the professional clothing industry can take to future-proof compliance.
Q&A - 10 minutes

Will the UK Align or Diverge from EU Sustainability Regulations?
Giving the full picture of UK policy thinking around textile sustainability and highlighting the activities occurring in the UK from Government and industry to transform into a circularity.
Q&A – 5 minutes
Industry Skills and the Next Generations

What is the Textile Industry Doing to Future-Proof its Skill Sets?
John West, Director of Skills and Training, UK Fashion Fashion & Textiles Association (UKFT)

Closing the PCIAW® Summit Part 1
Elena Lai thanks the speakers for their expert insight in the practicalities of the textile industry keeping ahead of the curve with the changes happening as 2030 approaches, and announces it is time for lunch located by the PCIAW® Exhibition.

PCIAW® Exhibition & Networking Lunch
The networking lunch runs onwards from the start of the exhibition.
PCIAW® Summit Day 2
9th November 2023
09:00AM - 13:30PM
Opening Addresses

PCIAW® Opening Address
PCIAW® Chair, John Miln, welcomes delegates to the second day of our event.

ANIVEC Opening Address
César Araújo welcomes back delegates and shares his thoughts on the education from the PCIAW® Summit Part 1.

Carrington Textiles
Premier Sponsor Address
Paul Farrell thanks delegates for attending and gives an overview of the insights from the PCIAW® Summit Part 2.

ETSA Chairs the PCIAW® Summit
Elena Lai introduces the PCIAW® Summit as Chair of the event, summarising the Part 1 and highlighting what is in store for the Part 2.
Opening Addresses End

Digitalising the Professional Clothing Industry
Lara Mazzoni, CEO, Co-Founder, Bodi.Me
Richard Jessup, Vice President, Optitex
Advocating for digitalisation of the professional clothing industry to improve productivity, reduce waste and combat inflation, the panel discussion will explore how uniform, workwear and PPE companies can leverage innovative solutions to streamline activity and build-in resilience into its operations.
Q&A – 5 minutes

Uniform Buyers Navigate Supply Chain Disruption and Sustainability
Gresham Blake, Owner, Gresham Blake Ltd
Sarah Wilsher, Founder, The Menopause at Work
The panel discussion with professional clothing buyers talks about the challenges they face in managing uniform, workwear and PPE programs in times of supply chain disruption and how they find the right garment solutions to deliver sustainability, circularity and inclusivity.
Q&A – 5 minutes
Networking break

Tactical Innovations in Circular Defence Textiles
Jonathan McKendry, Business Development
Director, Cooneen Group
Lucy Westgarth, ESG Lead, Leidos Europe
Rick Van Es, Partner, COO, Business Development, Phantomleaf
The panel discussion will shed light on the changes in mindsets in the defence sector for procurement and the tangible benefits of developing circular technologies in defence textiles, whilst the geopolitics of the modern world motivate the projects currently being undertaken.
Q&A – 5 minutes

Textile Solutions are Rescuing the Firefighters
Thomas Verminck, CEO, Decontex
Tommy Bækgaard Kjær, Chair of Firefighters Health Commission, International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF)
Speaker TBA
The panel discussion will speak about the WHO’s link between firefighting and cancer, whilst industry experts highlight textile decontamination solutions that can help to reduce the risks to firefighters and extend the life PPE suits in a way that has the potential to impact how we consider industry standards going forwards.
Q&A – 5 minutes

Prolonging the Life of Healthcare Textiles
Joseph Ricci, President & CEO, Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA)
Speaker TBA
The panel discussion will look back at the impact on healthcare professionals lacking PPE supply in the pandemic and consider the environmental impact of its disposable products, exploring circular solutions that help prolong the life of healthcare textiles, helping protect people and the planet.
Q&A – 5 minutes

Closing the PCIAW® Summit Part 2
Elena Lai thanks the speakers for their expert insights into the challenges and opportunities that the changing market landscape is offering to uniform buyers and suppliers across the various sectors spoken at in the PCIAW® Part 2, before reminding delegates that there is time to see the PCIAW® Exhibition before the Awards later that evening.

PCIAW® Exhibition & Networking Lunch
The networking lunch runs onwards from the start of the exhibition.

Alfandega Congress Centre – Archive Hall Floor Plan
PCIAW® Summit, Exhibition & Awards 2023 will be hosted at the Alfandega Porto Congress Centre, Porto, Portugal.
The Alfandega Congress Centre is a restored 19th century customshouse with a rich history situated on the Douro River. Its Neoclassical design provides a unique backdrop for events. Originally built to facilitate river trade, it now hosts conferences, having been adapted to meet modern needs while preserving its architectural heritage.
The event space will be open plan, including stage, tables and exhibition.
