The Elephant in The Room presenting the heroes shaping the textile supply chain at Milan Design Week
The Elephant in the Room is a supply chain exhibition held from 17 - 23 April 2023 at Castello Sforzesco in Milan. The Portico Dell’ Elefante (Porch of the Elephant) at Castello Sforzesco served as the inspiration behind the exhibition’s theme and is an ode to effecting positive change, exploring topics that are often left unspoken and to encourage honest conversations. The exhibition is a free experience that celebrates the textile creation process. Explore the works of heroes shaping the future of the supply chain and listen to the story of the changemakers behind the change.
Presented by BYBORRE in partnership with Castello Sforzesco, City of Milan, supply chain partners The Woolmark Company, Santoni, Groz-Beckert, Mayer & Cie and Südwolle Group, and renowned furniture design brands Montis, Arco, Lensvelt and La Bolleur, The Elephant in The Room brings together the past, present and future of textile creation. The exhibition and experience grants access to and shows the various steps involved in the textile supply chain, from sourcing materials to the creation of finished products. Informative exhibits in the castle’s ‘Sala della Balla’ provide a better understanding of the complexities and challenges in this industry, all while being surrounded by the twelve Trivulzio Tapestries that are a testimony to the rich history and craftsmanship of the textile industry.
Over the course of three days, the consortium of partners and Nieuwe Instituut are hosting panel discussions, moderated by FRAME to bring together experts in design, architecture and material to discuss transparency, collaboration and co-design, and the importance of a (fair) supply chain. In addition, recently launched initiative THE NEW STIJL by …,staat will host a series of talks with creatives across different disciplines and styles, including Sabine Marcelis, Amber Jae Slooten (The Fabricant) and Bas Timmer (Sheltersuit).
Find the program overview below. Registration for the exhibition and talks are now open, please register here. Spots for the talks are subject to availability.
Morning Industry Talks hosted by Supply Chain Partners and Nieuwe Instituut, moderated by FRAME
Panel discussion with pioneers in seamless knitting Santoni (Patrick Silva), furniture design brand Arco (Jorre van Ast) and Sanne Schuurman, Director & Co-Founder of Envisions.
Panel discussion with world leading suppliers of circular knitting machines Mayer & Cie (Wolfgang Müller) , furniture design brand Montis (Mariëlle van der Aa, Paul van den Berg) and a special guest (to be announced soon).
Panel discussion with global authority on Merino wool The Woolmark Company (Francesco Magri), world leading provider of industrial machine needles Groz-Beckert (Florian Mingramm) and British menswear designer Saul Nash.
Afternoon Design Talks curated by THE NEW STIJL
Borre Akkersdijk (BYBORRE) and Sabine Marcelis are THE NEW STIJL
Amber Jae Slooten (The Fabricant), Bas Timmer (Sheltersuit) and Mathieu Hagelaars (Studio Hagel) are THE NEW STIJL
Press tours with Borre Akkersdijk available upon request. Please contact press@byborre.com for press assets and other requests.
About BYBORRE®
BYBORRE is a textile company producing innovative knitted textiles for a wide range of applications. What sets them apart is their mission to rethink not just textiles, but the entire way the industry works — with responsibility at its core.
After years of leading technical innovation and developing a striking and instantly recognizable textile language, BYBORRE made a radical move: they opened their platform, giving creators across industries direct access to design their own textiles — a decisive break from the closed, rigid systems that have long defined the industry.
They also took a clear ethical stand: all textiles are produced on-demand, directly tackling the massive environmental impact of overproduction. Through the Textile Passport, every step of the process is fully transparent and traceable — setting a new benchmark for accountability in the textile world.
BYBORRE’s textiles gained immediate international recognition — first in the fashion and sportswear industry, and later across interior architecture, automotive, and lifestyle sectors. Their future-forward approach attracted collaborations with leading brands such as Nike, the Kering Group, BMW Group, Apple TV, Rapha, Gore-Tex, Adidas, McLaren, RipCurl, Natuzzi, The Social Hub, among others.
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