Or more importantly, can eco-fashion thrive in a world where fashion faithfuls typically care more about design than material harvesting. The dress to the right is a Miacro design made from 100 percent organic bamboo jersey. And yes, it feels as good as it looks.

The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and the St. Louis chapter of Fashion Group International (FGI) will present “Eco-Watch…Creating Fashion Solutions.” The free evening symposium will explore the future of sustainable fashion, the fastest-growing segment of the garment/fashion industry.

The program will begin at 6 p.m., Thursday, September 18, with a keynote address by Jana Hawley, Ph.D., professor and department head for Apparel Textiles and Interior Design at Kansas State University. The lecture, titled “Apparel Sustainability in the 21st Century,” will explore ways apparel companies can approach issues of environment, education and social equity while still giving attention to the bottom line.

The program will begin at 6 p.m. with networking, appetizers, and beverages.  Dr. Hawley’s presentation begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the panel discussion from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

RSVP’s are required to reserve seating and to receive an e-mail parking permit, for free parking.  Please RSVP by Sept. 12 via e-mail to fgistl@yahoo.com

The program will include a panel of local fashion professionals: Lori Allen, owner of Boutique Chartreuse; Nina Ganci, owner and designer of Skif International; and Jennifer McKelvie and Tina Davis-Noble, owners and designers of MIACRO Designs. Delcia Corlew of FGI will serve as moderator.

Both the lecture and the panel discussion are free and open to the public and take place in Steinberg Hall Auditorium, located on Washington University’s Danforth Campus, near the intersection of Forsyth and Skinker boulevards.

For more information, call (314) 935-9300 or visit samfoxschool.wustl.edu.