These are exciting times - leather jackets can be grown from bacteria, dresses 3D printed, t-shirts cut out by laser cutters from patterns downloaded from the internet and embedded with fabric sensors . Fashion is one of the biggest and most polluting industries worldwide, but is one that is rapidly changing due to technological change at grassroots and industry level.

Future Fashion will start with an introduction by Bridget McKendry of Fab Lab CHCH on the new smart materials, processes and social trends that are shaping how we will consume fashion and textiles in the next few years - covering soft digital fabrication, wearable technology, sustainability and materials.

Following this will be a panel discussion with a nano materials scientist, a designer focused on sustainable contemporary clothing, a fashion design educator and a fashionista, where we ask the question "What are the implications of high tech fashion on the evolution of style and emerging trends?"

There will be examples of the new materials mentioned in the presentation on display and attendees will have the opportunity to get hands on and create a piece of wearable tech to take home.

This event is for anyone interested in fashion, clothing and textiles, trends, smart and responsive materials, art, craft, science, education. Those who might not normally be interested in digital technology but love to experiment with new mediums should attend, as well as practitioners in creative industries, fashion design and education, functional clothing, and teachers.