From February 8–11, the international circular design collaboration project Circular Dialogues took place in New York, combining a symposium and a design exhibition and bringing together designers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from the United States and Europe. Held during New York Fashion Week, the program focused on practical and scalable circular design and circular economy solutions in the fashion and textile sectors.

What makes Circular Dialogues distinctive is its combined academic and applied approach. The platform connects universities, designers, manufacturers, and public sector actors, turning circular design from theory into tested practice. The transatlantic collaboration model — linking European circular design frameworks with US innovation and production ecosystems — creates a working bridge between research, design methodology, and real-world implementation.

Circular Dialogues was developed through research and network-building carried out in New York under Professor Reet Aus’s Fulbright scholarship. Over a three-month period, the symposium and exhibition framework was created and an international collaboration platform established in cooperation with New York University (NYU) and Estonian partners.

The cross-national collaboration began in 2024 with the Estonian Association of Designers’ project “Upmade in Estonia,” which developed into a broader research and design partnership between New York and Tallinn institutions and practitioners. Since then, more than twenty professional events — including workshops, seminars, networking forums, pop-up formats, exhibitions, and fashion design showcases — have taken place within major international design week programs. Circular Dialogues represents the next phase of this long-term cooperation, expanding both research-driven and applied design exchange.

Circular Dialogues connected the design and knowledge communities of New York and Tallinn. The exhibition was presented at The Canvas SoHo gallery, and the symposium took place at NYU.

The international symposium addressed implementation pathways and challenges in circular design. Presentations and discussions covered zero-waste design, industrial and post-consumer upcycling, repair systems, redesign, reuse, recycling, and the rethinking of production models, as well as regulatory and urban policy dimensions of sustainability.

The symposium was opened by Victoria Rosner, Dean of NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Hosts included Professor Louise Harpman (NYU Gallatin School) and Professor Reet Aus (Estonian Academy of Arts). The moderator was fashion author and expert Mary Gehlhar.

Speakers included Carmen Gama (Eileen Fisher), Nick Rosenbaum (SXD), Kat Hoelck (Any Bag), Raffael Flores-Contreras (Raw Meat & Repair Co), Wendy Waugh (Golden Collective), Sandra Luks (LUKS), Adam Baruchowitz (Return to Vendor), and Kate Kitchener (NYC Department of Sanitation), among others.

The Circular Dialogues research and design exhibition presented case studies from New York and Tallinn demonstrating how circular economy principles are implemented in practice — from industrial and local upcycling to repair-centered approaches and redesigned production systems. The exhibition highlighted technical, organizational, and regulatory factors influencing sustainable fashion production.

Participating designers and initiatives included:

Eileen Fisher, Wendy Waugh, Reet Aus, Shelly Xu, Sandra Luks, Artur Aus, Kairi Lentsius, Any Bag, Ava Hudson, Eva-Karlotta Tatar, Cärol Ott, Anthony Luciano, Liis Mõttus, Raffael Flores-Contreras, UPMADE, and RTV Fabrics.

The program also included receptions and professional networking events supporting international cooperation and knowledge exchange, including a reception at the residence of the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations.

Estonian Cultural Attaché in New York, Madli-Liis Parts, commented:

“This was an inspiring week, offering many new ideas and encouraging reflection on our behavior and decision-making patterns. The events in New York highlighted a strong presence of sustainable design practice and research, extending beyond professional fashion and design communities. Discussions initiated by Fulbright Scholar Reet Aus and Professor Louise Harpman connected academic research with practical production solutions that help reduce the environmental footprint of the fashion industry. The exhibition at The Canvas SoHo demonstrated how design can reposition waste as a resource and make sustainability tangible in everyday choices.”

The next phase of the Circular Dialogues project will take place at the Tallinn Design Festival (Disainiöö) in Estonia, where the themes will be further developed through new exhibitions and expert discussions.

The event was organized and supported by NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study, the Fulbright Program, the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Estonian Association of Designers, Estonian Design House, Erasmus+, and The Canvas, with co-support from the NYU Office of Sustainability and openEARTHstudio.