About Us
Our Work
See what we’ve achieved in the 17 years since Fashion Takes Action set out on its mission to advance sustainability throughout the entire fashion system!
See what we’ve achieved in the 17 years since Fashion Takes Action set out on its mission to advance sustainability throughout the entire fashion system!
2007
Fashion Takes Action was established by Kelly Drennan in 2007 out of a desire to make the planet more sustainable for her 2 daughters.
2007
2007 & 2008
FTA began with these iconic events that featured 10 Canadian fashion designers, each making 3 looks from sustainable fabrics.
2007 & 2008
2009
In 2009, we launched a membership platform to provide support to emerging and established fashion designers across Canada.
2009
2010, 2016 - 2018
In 2010 we launched Design Forward to celebrate and recognize the growing sustainable fashion design community in Canada.
2010, 2016 - 2018
2011 - 2014
For 4 years, FTA partnered with WHEN (Women’s Healthy Environments Network) to produce a non toxic fashion & beauty event to raise awareness.
2011 - 2014
2012
Our first big clothing swap under the tent at Toronto Fashion Week!
2012
2012-2015
In 2012 FTA ran a showroom in the Distillery District featuring sustainable fashion designers.
2012-2015
2014 - PRESENT
Our youth education program that has reached over 30,000 students in grades 4-12 & teaches them about the social & environmental impacts of the global fashion industry, and empowers them to build a more resilient and sustainable future.
2014 - PRESENT
2014
2014
2014 - 2023
Since 2014, our annual World Ethical Apparel Roundtable (WEAR) conference has united designers, brand owners, NGOs retailers, academics, policy makers, manufacturers and innovators — through Canada’s premier forum for inspiring action toward sustainability.
2014 - 2023
2017 - 2020
In 2016, FTA set out to making fashion circular in Canada. We first introduced this topic at our annual WEAR conference where we had multiple stakeholders together in the same room in a lab format to discuss the topic of textile waste diversion.
2017 - 2020
2020 - 2021
In 2020, we pivoted along with the rest of the world, to launch a monthly WEAR webinar series. In 18 months we produced 40+ webinars, on 12 different topics, featuring 100+ speakers & thousands of global attendees.
2020 - 2021
2020 - 2021
In 2020, with financial support from Environment & Climate Change Canada, we conducted Canada’s first textile recycling feasibility study.
2020 - 2021
2021 - 2022
In 2021 we partnered with INLAND to produce SHIFT – a business development program that brings micro & small fashion businesses together with leading experts to empower, and future-proof their business – all through the lens of sustainability.
2021 - 2022
2021 - 2023
Building off our textile recycling report, our pilot set out to prove that we could make a consumer facing product via mechanical textile recycling – fully made in Canada.
2021 - 2023
2023
During our pilot, we created a guidance document that details each phase of the project, including our key learnings and considerations for others interested in …
2023
2023 - PRESENT
ReMode is where you come to learn how to keep your clothes in use for as long as possible through the 7R’s of Fashion. The event includes a …
2023 - PRESENT
2023
The Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC) is a forum that connects all stakeholders in the value chain, to share knowledge, reduce duplication of efforts, and …
2023
2025
(COMING SOON) FTA has been active in the circularity space for the past 8 years with work spanning from the Ontario Textile Diversion Collaborative, to …
2025