Sustainability professionals descended on Pasadena, California last week for the annual Textile Exchange conference, and the mood was cautiously optimistic.

There is still far too much talk and not enough action to transform the industry, speakers and attendees almost unanimously agreed. There was also a strong consensus that the industry is engaging in more sophisticated conversations than ever, with panel sessions, workshops and one-to-one meetings taking place to address issues that have never been central to fashion’s sustainability efforts, but are fundamental to their success — in particular, the need for finance, business models and growth, as well as the logistics necessary to make textile recycling a reality.