Amsterdam Fashion Week Goes Green: What Their New Sustainability Standards Mean for the Future of Fashion

Amsterdam Fashion Week is teaming up with Copenhagen to raise the bar on sustainable fashion—here’s what it means for designers, fashion lovers, and the industry as a whole.

'Momentum' by Tess van Zalinge during Amsterdam Fashion Week. Credits: Peter Stigter for Tess van Zalinge

According to Fashion United, Amsterdam Fashion Week is going green in a major way. And no, I don’t just mean adding a few recycled fabrics to the runway.

This year, Amsterdam Fashion Week (AFW) is partnering with none other than Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW)—aka the blueprint for what it means to do fashion sustainably—to bring their gold-standard Sustainability Requirements to the Dutch fashion scene. And honestly? It’s a power move that could change the entire vibe of fashion weeks across Europe.

Here’s what’s going down, why this matters for the future of fashion, and how this could affect the way you think about what’s in your closet.

What’s This New Partnership All About?

So here’s the scoop: AFW is joining forces with CPHFW to accelerate sustainability in fashion, both in the Netherlands and the broader Benelux and Nordic regions. Starting in 2025, AFW will run a one-year pilot program where around 30 brands will be assessed using Copenhagen’s sustainability criteria. If all goes well (and we hope it does), full implementation of these standards will kick off in September 2026.

Basically, Amsterdam is borrowing the playbook from Copenhagen’s eco-forward fashion week model—and that’s a very good thing.

What Are These Sustainability Requirements, Anyway?

Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Sustainability Requirements aren’t just fluffy goals—they’re a detailed framework that helps brands make real, measurable progress. These guidelines were launched in 2020 and revamped in 2024 to keep up with changes in the fashion world and new EU regulations.

To be included in Copenhagen’s show calendar, brands need to meet specific criteria related to:

• Ethical production and fair labor

• Reducing carbon emissions and waste

• Responsible material sourcing

• Circular design practices (think: upcycling, recycling, and designing for longevity)

• Transparency and accountability in operations

It’s like a green checklist that pushes brands to not just talk sustainability—but actually live it.

Tolu Coker SS25 during LFW - part of NewGen Credits: Tolu Coker

Why AFW + CPHFW Is a Big Deal

Honestly, this collab is huge. Here’s why:

1. It brings accountability to the runway.Fashion weeks aren’t just about trends—they’re platforms. When big events like AFW adopt strict sustainability guidelines, it signals to the whole industry that real change is expected, not optional.

2. It supports designers who want to do better.Sustainability can feel overwhelming for small brands. This partnership gives them tools, structure, and support to make meaningful changes without having to figure it all out alone.

3. It aligns Europe’s fashion weeks under one vision.With Berlin Fashion Week, Oslo Runway, and now Amsterdam jumping on board (alongside the British Fashion Council), we’re seeing a real unified front for sustainability in fashion. The message? It’s time to level up.

What This Means for Designers & Fashion Fans

Whether you're a fashion insider or just someone who loves style with substance, here’s what this shift means for you:

• More transparency: You’ll start seeing brands be more open about how their clothes are made and what they’re doing to be planet-friendly.

• Less greenwashing: With clear standards in place, it’ll be harder for brands to just say they’re sustainable without proof.

• Cooler, smarter collections: When designers work with limits (like using deadstock or designing for longevity), they often get way more creative. Expect runway looks that are both inspiring and intentional.

Final Thoughts: Sustainability Isn’t a Trend—It’s the Future

As Danie Bles, CEO of AFW, put it:“Sustainability is not an option – it’s the future of fashion.” And I couldn’t agree more.

Fashion is fun. It's self-expression. But it also comes with responsibility. This new move by Amsterdam Fashion Week proves that fashion weeks can be glamorous and grounded in purpose. And honestly? That’s the kind of fashion future I want to be part of.

What do you think—can fashion really be sustainable? Would you support a brand more if they were transparent about how they made your clothes? Let’s talk in the comments