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Defashion is more than recycling... it is about thinking about source and end-of life for textiles. Anyone who knows me knows... I love clothes. I love shoes- truly. But I’ve been asking myself lately: do I love fashion? I always thought I did. The colours, the creativity, the way clothes can express personality. Yet, on reflection, what I really cherish is quality, good design, and connection to place-especially through local materials. The fashion industry as it stands often feels disconnected from these values. Too often, it promotes cheap, fast, and exploitative production methods that harm people and the planet alike. This dissonance has led me to consider the concept of “ de-fashion .” “ De-fashion ” is a powerful idea that challenges us to step away from the harmful cycles of mainstream fashion. Instead, it calls us to embrace a style rooted in respect for our earth, our cultures, and ourselves. It’s about elevating Indigenous and local values into how we create, wear, and live with clothes- celebrating craftsmanship and meaningful connection rather than consumption. It is more than recycling, it is thinking about 'source, life-cycle and end-of life'. This grosses me out! Did you know that global textile waste reaches around 92 million tonnes every year. This massive volume highlights the urgent need to rethink how we produce, consume, and dispose of clothing to reduce environmental harm. So, each calendar New year- I start off with a resolution- don't buy any new clothes (or shoes- I did have 120+ pairs at one stage- pre-kids), and see what happens... but a month in (around my birthday or clothing sales) I usually say to myself oh that'd be nice - next minute I fail and say- ok,next year! But, with our mahi at Rautāpatu I have had the privilege of seeing what our consumption patterns are doing to people and our planet. I am inspired by so many individuals and groups taking action on keeping products in use as long as possible- up-cycling and repairing, thinking about source, and waste and looking at how we used to create beautiful crafts from NZ wool and natural fibres. Now, you won't catch me knitting- but I totally appreciate it! More recently, I was inspired by a recent article on Resilience.org titled 'Why I've given up on fashion and why we need to build a new earth-centric culture' The author shares heartfelt reflections on abandoning conventional fashion to foster a culture that honours ecological and cultural wisdom. It’s a read I highly recommend if you’re curious about how our clothing choices intersect with deeper values and our responsibility to the world we live in. So, let’s start a conversation about how we can reimagine fashion—with intention, respect, and care. I invite you to explore this idea with your friends and whanau. Together, we can elevate a new way of dressing that honours the earth and the talents of artists and craftspeople in our communities keeping local traditions alive. Food for thought on hump-day! BK

Store Manager - All Heart Store Waitara As Ngāti Rāhiri uri, I grew up in Waitara, where I now live and work. I have previous careers in social work and journalism, and now manage the Waitara branch of the All Heart NZ organisation. It is a profit-for-purpose enterprise, which is part of the circular economy. By partnering with corporates and businesses, the All Heart kaupapa provides a redirection and resource recovery option, offering low-cost office supplies and homewares to communities, while creating jobs and opportunities for volunteers. Reflections of a small community's approach to the Circular Economy The goal to bring the All Heart NZ kaupapa to Waitara was a vision realised by Te Ara Hou Trust in November 2022. Almost two years on, the fledgling franchise is slowly gaining ground in terms of its profile and customer base. While there are ongoing challenges, there are also everyday successes. Store manager Deena Coster will share some of the highs and lows of trying to make a success out of a venture inspired by big goals in a small community like Waitara. Presentation | Monday 7 October Part of the Circular Economy in Action Series

Adjunct Research Fellow Te Kotahi Research Institute, University of Waikato Ngāti Pūkenga, Waitaha-ā-Hei, Ngāti Hauā Manu is a biotechnology entrepreneur, academic and activist. Manu has spearheaded a range of initiatives designed to benefit both Te Taiao and Māori communities including marae, hapū, iwi and Māori landowners, as patients, partners, and investors in novel medicines derived from taonga species. Manu co-founded Hikurangi Bioactives, a biotech venture focusing on natural health products derived from indigenous organisms like kānuka and kina. He also co-founded Rua Bioscience, which raised nearly $50 million before becoming the first company established by Māori to be listed on the NZX. Manu has supported the establishment of scholarship and internship programs for Māori graduates and is involved in Treaty-based regulatory developments for Indigenous organisms. Internationally, he recently participated in a UN meeting on biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, and in May 2024 was the only Māori member of the Indigenous Caucus at the World Intellectual Property Organisation Diplomatic Conference that finalised a global treaty to prevent biopiracy associated with patents that use genetic resources or traditional knowledge. Based between Tauranga and Ruatōrea, Manu believes the sustainable utilisation of taonga by Māori is one of the best opportunities to practice kaitiakitanga and realise tino rangatiratanga. To this end he is engaged in projects like: developing pharmaceuticals from an indigenous moss; a marae-based clinical study using psychedelic mushrooms to treat methamphetamine addiction; using Artificial Intelligence to identify potential health benefits of native berries; and global licensing of a clinically-proven eczema treatment using an extract from kānuka. Upending Extractive Capitalism : Giving Control of Companies to Te Taiao This presentation will share a number of recent case studies on efforts to put Nature and the interests of specific taonga at the centre of commercial enterprises. By giving legal control and explicit benefit-sharing arrangements to taonga through shareholdings and other financial arrangements, Capitalism can be a tool for funding the protection and regeneration of ecosystems while also creating income for landowners and employment for Indigenous communities. An emerging model of relationships between Indigenous peoples, researchers, commercial entities, genetic resources and ecological systems is proposed, with a discussion of some of the challenges and opportunities for further developments required to ensure a comprehensive model of ethical protection and utilisation can become common practice. Presentation | Wednesday 9 October Plenary Keynote Speaker

Pou Māori - Kore Hiakai Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Te Atiawa, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter – advocating and breathing in the kai sovereignty spaces. Learning and growing knowledge and ways in which we can connect with each other, with our taiao to create an Aotearoa where we build Te Tiriti grounded, long term, mana centered, sustainable solutions to ensure all people, at all times, have agency and access to enough nourishing, affordable, sustainably sourced, culturally appropriate food. Kai Motuhake If we want all our people to have dignified access to enough good food – we need an approach which recognises that food insecurity is experienced by people and our atua but driven by systems. All around Aotearoa, Hapu / Iwi and communities are striving to build resilient communities. Our collective knowledge is needed now more than ever. Join me as we korero together, to learn and express the issues and successes we are facing to achieve this. Highlighting the best examples of Kai Strategies for Realising kai secure communities in Aotearoa , we can explore the following: What are the key issues and considerations that successful communities you think communities are doing? Understand together, what are the top 5 Challenges and 5 Opportunities you see in your own communities to relieving hunger and building kai resilience Kotahitanga - where to from here? Collaboration for those wishing to work together in the future Our actions and commitment towards addressing Indigenous food insecurity and food sovereignty must also value the significant role food plays in healing ourselves and our whanau. Presentation | Wednesday 9 October Part of the Accelerator Sessions

Reo Advocate Te Ataarangi ki Te Kāhui Maunga For over 30 years Ruakere has worked and taught in Māori language immersion programmes for adult education and in community-based reo development projects working to re-create Māori speaker communities. Much of his activity has been to enhance the use of immersion learning with Te Ataarangi and in revitalising regional language with Te Reo o Taranaki and Kura Whakarauora. His views have helped influence New Zealand’s language revitalisation strategy as a past member of Te Taura Whiri and Te Mātāwai. Currently, Ruakere has multiple roles in the community and with research, while also a sitting member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Within ‘Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori’, a Ministry of Education project, he has a leadership role in the delivery, content development and strategy of this immersion reo programme for school and early childhood teachers through the Manawatū, Whanganui, Taranaki region. Growing Speaker Communities: Sustainable Outcomes Māra kai are an opportunity to build context-centred language revitalisation and sustain culturally authentic community-action. Presentation | Tuesday 8 October Plenary Keynote Speaker

Co-Chair and Trustee - Rautāpatu Foundation Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer - Rautāpatu Limited Te Ātiawa nui tonu, Taranaki tūturu Glen Co-Founded Rautāpatu Foundation in 2022, with business partner, Bry Kopu. Glen's strengths lie in his deep connection to his hapūtanga, particularly at Katere ki te Moana marae and Te Rewarewa. He has been instrumental in leading initiatives to revitalise ‘kai motuhake’ (indigenous food sovereignty) via maara kai, demonstrating his commitment to both community empowerment and sustainability. Glen leads many Mara initiates in Taranaki within hapu, schools and community gardens, and is warmly known as the 'Kumara Guy' for revitalising the growing of ancient species of kumara in Taranaki. He shares his expertise nationally on many regenerative platforms and for the last few years supported the intergenerational kaupapa 'Karioi' (Wakatū). At home, he is the current co-Chair of Ngāti Tāwhirikura Hapū Charitable Trust, supporting the alignment of aspirations and actions for ngā uri. Glen prioritises accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct, principles that are embodied in the hapū healing framework—He Kawa Ora a cornerstone of his professional approach and personal ethos. Presentation | Monday 7 October Circular Economy 101 | Circular Principles & Recap Plenary Address Presentation | Tuesday 8 October He Kawa Ora - Healing Framework Overview Accelerator Workshop Presentation | Wednesday 9 October He Kawa Ora - Māra Kai Accelerator Workshop

Co-Chair and Trustee - Rautāpatu Foundation Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer - Rautāpatu Limited Te Ātiawa nui tonu Bry Co-Founded Rautāpatu Foundation in 2022, with business partner, Glen Skipper. Bry is passionate about community contribution and is the current Chairperson of Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki. Previously she was in the senior leadership team (and CE) of the national network Mayors Taskforce for Jobs and helped set up the TUIA Trust supporting rangatahi leadership initiatives across Aotearoa. During her time with the Taranaki Health Foundation, she led successful community campaigns fundraising millions of dollars for healthcare infrastructure and equipment for the region. Bry’s strengths lie in Strategic Business Planning, Project Management & Reporting, and Partnership Development. With a strong focus on ethical engagement as an IAP2-certified professional, she is dedicated to fostering meaningful collaborations that drive impactful community outcomes. Over the last two decades she has worked on numerous regeneration Kaupapa and is passionate about supporting the development of Circular Indigenous Enterprise and Community Resilience. Bry advocates for the principle of “scaling deep”—investing in relationships that create lasting, transformative change. Circular Economy 101 & Recap Circular Business and Doughnut Economics Indigenous Founder Programme Presentation | Monday 7 October Plenary Keynote Address & Recap Presentation | Tuesday 8 October Accelerator Session

Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngati Rakaipaaka, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri Tina has served in a career connecting mātauranga Māori with technical skills in the planning sector to improve the well-being of Te Taiao, whānau, hapū, and iwi. Tina has been privileged to work with passionate, experienced, and deeply knowledgeable kaitiaki across the country as they seek to uphold their cultural obligations. This work has centred around, water, lands, tāonga species, climate change, and supporting platforms for mātauranga Māori to transform the relationship that the people of Aotearoa have with the natural world. As Iwi Māori strive to live in alignment with Te Taiao, they bring that knowledge to their businesses, creating unique solutions that will benefit all of Aotearoa and Tina has been fortunate to work with these communities to share this work with the world. Presentation | Monday 7 October Plenary Keynote Speaker

Professor, Director of Doctoral Studies, Chair of Design Studies Carnegie Mellon University (USA) Jonathan Chapman is Professor, Director of Doctoral Studies, and Chair of Design Studies at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design. Jonathan leads the PhD in Transition Design, an advanced-level research program addressing the most pressing social and ecological challenges of our time. He is the author of five books at the intersection of design, human experience, and sustainability. His most recent book, Meaningful Stuff: Design that Lasts calls for an “experience heavy, materials light” design sensibility. His Op-Ed for The Guardian, “Today it’s Cool, Tomorrow it’s Junk,” received 1,000+ comments within an hour of going live. Chapman is a consultant and strategic advisor to global businesses and governmental organizations from Puma, COS, and Philips, to the House of Lords, the United Nations, and NASA. This work accelerates the transition to a circular economy by shaping national and international policy, and advancing the design practices of global companies. He is Visiting Professor in Design at the Politecnico di Milano, and graduate student advisor at MIT, Cambridge University, Royal College of Art, and KAIST. He holds a PhD in Design (2008), MA in Design Futures (2001), and BA (Hons) in Industrial Design (1997). At the age of 38, he became the youngest person in the UK to achieve the rank of Full Professor in Design. New Scientist described Chapman as “a mover and shaker” and a “new breed of sustainable design thinker". Product Moments, Material Eternities We live in a time where we constantly buy, use, and discard more stuff than ever before. Sneakers worn once, forgotten smartphones, and abandoned gadgets are clear signs of our wasteful habits. How do these once desired items turn into meaningless junk so quickly? In "Product Moments, Material Eternities", Professor Chapman delves into why we discard items that still work and how we can design products that last. The talk explores a crucial concept: products may be temporary, but the materials they are made from persist. By focusing on circular design strategies that extend the life and relevance of these materials, we can reduce waste and promote sustainability. This talk explores themes such as object meaning, urban mines , maintenance and repair , and rich experience . Through vivid examples and insightful analysis, we’ll see how stronger relationships with our possessions can foster sustainability and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. By blending practical examples with thought-provoking insights, this talk reveals how a design approach that values the ongoing human experience over the fleeting nature of material excess can reshape our connection with objects and guide us toward a more sustainable future. Professor Chapman is director of Doctoral Studies at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design. The author of five books, his research helps accelerate the design-led transition to a sustainable future. As a circular design specialist, he advises global businesses, governments, and NGOs—from Sony, Puma, The Body Shop, and Philips to the House of Lords, the United Nations, and NASA. New Scientist described him as “a new breed of sustainable design thinker". Presentation | Wednesday 9 October Plenary Keynote Speaker

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori at Massey University Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Aitanga a Hauiti and Kāti Māmoe Graham Hingangaroa Smith is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori at Massey University and was chief executive of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatane for eight years before retiring in 2015. He has a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts (Anthropology) with Honours and a PhD (Education) from the University of Auckland as well as a Teaching Diploma from Auckland Teachers College. Professor Smith has been a key figure in the development of Kaupapa Māori theorising, which has had significant impact within the academy in New Zealand and international indigenous settings. He taught in state and Kaupapa Māori schools in Auckland. After returning to the University of Auckland he was, in 1999, appointed Professor of Education – Māori Education and, in the same year, was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori and worked in the senior management team of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor. Professor Smith worked in Canada at the University of British Columbia for six years, heading the Education Policy Studies Department in the Faculty of Education. He also worked building indigenous capacities and capabilities with many different Universities in Canada and around the Pacific Rim. Professor Smith is known as a builder of transforming initiatives. Three national examples include: the establishment of Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga (the Māori Centre of Research Excellence), the MAI (Māori and indigenous graduate programme to establish 500 Māori doctoral graduates in five years), and he was the inaugural chair of the Council for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and led the Treaty of Waitangi claim for their settlement. Presentation | 10am Tuesday 8 October Plenary Keynote Speaker

Activating a Community-Led Circular Economy Announcing our inaugural tribal summit - He Kahui Mano, to be held in Ngāmotu (New Plymouth) on Monday 7th - Wednesday 9th October, at The Devon Hotel. This three-day event is for indigenous communities to reimagine and redefine our future through a community-led, kaupapa-driven, circular economy to build whānau, hapū, and community resilience. Aim Our aim is to provide the opportunity to better understand Circular Economy- the theory and the practice. We will offer a mix of presentations and think space to do a deeper dive into key areas of potential change in our homes, workplaces and community. Our aim is to provide participants with the opportunity to broadly redefine sustainability, resilience and innovation for a community-led circular future. ​ Over three days we invite you to learn, reflect, and wānanga with others, to consider: Can circularity align with our aspirations for cultural and social well-being and values as Māori? A means to an end... how does circularity stack up building a kaupapa-driven Tribal economy? How do we unlock the economic potential of a Taiao-positive, circular economy? What are the pros/cons of a Circular Economy? Who should attend? We extend a warm welcome to those who share whakapapa to ngā Iwi o Taranaki, and to wider whanau and hapū networks around the motu to attend our Tribal Summit. We encourage pakeke and rangatahi who are passionate about the interconnected kaupapa of revitalising Te Taiao, community-led change, indigenous entrepreneurship, systems thinking and Tribal economic development as essential components on our quest to reclaim our mana motuhake. ​ We view the revitalisation of the mana and mauri of Te Taiao as the cornerstone of community-driven progress. This entails more than just our enduring responsibility as kaitiaki across generations; it also embodies the aspirations of our whānau and hapū, uniting us with our heritage, our present, and our future. Join us to see how our values and worldview aligns to circularity and if it can provide your whanau, hapū and community with tools for change. Event Details In person, ticketed event Dates: Wednesday 14, Thursday 15, Friday 16 August 2024 Time: 9am to 5pm (approx.) Location: The Devon Hotel Sessions: A mixture of in-person and online presentations, and in-person workshops To find out more, visit the webpage To purchase a ticket visit our ticketing partner Programmes Day One Day Two Day Three For Presenter Profiles click their name in the Programme Please note the Programme is a living document being updated continually and is subject to change

Reimagine Our Future: A Circular Vision for local communities Announcing our one-day Circular Economy MasterClass to be held in Ngāmotu (New Plymouth) on Monday7th October, at The Devon Hotel. Nau mai, haere mai... you are invited to attend our one-day forum aimed at providing participants with the opportunity to learn about what a Circular Economy is and how it is a key enabler of sustainable business practices. We will be looking at Circular Business Design through a 'doughnut economic' lens and exploring how it can also contribute to community resilience and innovation for a Zero Waste future. WHO SHOULD ATTEND? This event is curated for business owners, organisational and community leaders who wish to explore circularity and ways to chart your path to zero waste and more sustainable business practice. Similarly, if you are an individual or family group who wishes to learn more about a Nature positive economy - then the sessions will provide you with the foundations to explore how you can participate in local and community level change. If you are interested in bending the trend of climate change outcomes, systems thinking & community-led change then this one-day doughnut economics masterclass is for you! WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? An action-packed day between 9 and 5pm! We will showcase circular businesses and draw inspiration from transformative local, regional and international examples. ​By the end of the day we hope you have foundation knowledge of the ways in which a Circular Economy can create new jobs, businesses and support existing business transition to a low emissions zero-waste future. FORUM THEMES INCLUDE: Doughnut Economics Regenerating Te Taiao/Our Environment Circularity in Business Resource Recovery & Zero waste Partnerships/Collaboration Ethical Investment EVENT DETAILS In person, ticketed event Date: Wednesday 14 August 2024 Time: 9am to 5pm Location: The Devon Hotel Sessions: A mixture of presentations and workshops To find out more, visit the webpage To purchase a ticket visit our ticketing partner Find the Programme here For Presenter Profiles click their name in the Programme Please note the Programme is a living document being updated continually and is subject to change