Call for Proposals - 2027 Annual Convention

The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART) Association is seeking engaging, informative, and forward-thinking presentations for the 2027 SMART Annual Convention in Nassau, Bahamas. 

SMART brings together leaders from across the global textile reuse, recycling, and secondary materials industries. Our audience includes used clothing professionals, textile recyclers, wiping material companies, fiber processors, exporters, manufacturers, innovators, service providers, and industry advocates. 

As our industry continues to navigate changing markets, evolving regulations, new technologies, and growing demand for circular solutions, we are looking for speakers who can bring practical expertise, fresh perspectives, actionable insights, and real-world solutions to the SMART community. 

What We’re Looking For 

We welcome proposals that explore the challenges, opportunities, and innovations shaping the future of secondary materials and recycled textiles. Presentations typically range from 45 – 60 minutes, including an opportunity for question/discussion at the end. We encourage interactive components within the presentation. Discover a list of topics of interest.

Who Should Submit? 

SMART welcomes proposals from industry leaders, business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, technology providers, innovators, academics, and subject-matter experts from within and beyond the SMART membership. 

We particularly encourage proposals that bring perspectives from different regions, sectors, and stages of the textile reuse and recycling value chain. 

What to Submit 

Please provide: 

• Presentation Title: A concise, compelling title for your proposed session. 

• Session Description: A brief description of the topic, key issues to be addressed, and what attendees will learn. 

• Key Takeaways: Please identify 2–3 practical takeaways attendees will gain from the session. 

• Speaker Information: Name, title, organization, and a brief biography for each proposed speaker. 

• Contact Information: Email address and phone number for the primary contact. 

Presentations should be educational and relevant to SMART's diverse membership. Product- or company-specific sales presentations will not be prioritized. 

Proposals will be evaluated based on relevance to SMART members, quality and originality of content, practical value, speaker expertise, diversity of perspectives, and alignment with current issues facing the industry. 

Submitting a proposal does not guarantee acceptance. SMART reserves the right to modify session titles, formats, speakers, or topics as needed to create the strongest overall convention program. The SMART Annual Convention is an opportunity to connect with industry leaders from around the world, share ideas, and help shape the future of textile reuse, recycling, and secondary materials. 

Submissions are due November 10, 2026.  

Submit your proposal and join us in the Bahamas for SMART 2027.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL

TOPICS OF INTEREST 

• The future of the global used clothing market 

• International trade and emerging market opportunities 

• Tariffs, trade agreements, customs, and cross-border challenges 

• The impact of geopolitical and economic trends on textile markets 

• Export markets and opportunities for developing economies 

• Strengthening global supply chains 

• Emerging textile recycling and reuse regulations 

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) 

• Basel Convention and international trade policy 

• Policies affecting the classification and movement of used textiles 

• How industry can effectively engage policymakers 

• Regulatory developments in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean, and other key markets 

• The evolving secondhand apparel market 

• Growing resale and reuse markets 

• Consumer trends and changing perceptions of secondhand clothing 

• Sorting, grading, and maximizing the value of used textiles 

• Building stronger global reuse systems 

• The role of reuse in a circular textile economy 

• Advances in mechanical and chemical recycling 

• Fiber-to-fiber recycling 

• Processing technologies and innovations 

• Designing recycled fibers for quality and performance 

• Managing blended and difficult-to-recycle textiles 

• Scaling textile recycling economically 

• New end markets for recovered materials 

• AI, automation, and advanced sorting 

• Digital tools and traceability 

• Data and technology transforming textile recovery 

• Innovations in collection, sorting, processing, and manufacturing 

• Emerging technologies that could reshape the industry 

• Lessons from successful technology implementation 

• Improving profitability and operational efficiency 

• Workforce challenges and solutions 

• Building resilient supply chains 

• Energy, transportation, and other operational costs 

• New business models and revenue opportunities 

• Partnerships across the textile value chain 

• Lessons learned from companies successfully adapting to market change 

• Connecting reuse, recycling, brands, manufacturers, and consumers 

• Building stronger textile circularity systems 

• Brand and retailer partnerships 

• Closing the loop between collection and end markets 

• What true textile circularity looks like in practice 

• Collaboration across the global value chain 

• Opportunities and challenges for textile reuse and recycling in the Caribbean 

• Textile markets in Latin America and emerging economies 

• Regional collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling infrastructure 

• The role of secondary materials in local economic development 

• Building circular textile systems in emerging markets 

• Case studies with measurable results 

• New or emerging market intelligence 

• Practical strategies and solutions 

• Innovative technologies or business models 

• Data and research 

• Lessons learned from successful or unsuccessful initiatives 

• Diverse perspectives from across the global textile value chain 

• Interactive or highly engaging formats 

• Individual presentations 

• Panel discussions 

• Fireside conversations 

• Case studies 

• Interactive sessions 

• Industry roundtables 

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL