Organisers have confirmed participation from 24 companies, with exhibitors representing sectors such as fibre, leather, machinery, technology, fabric and manufacturing.
Among the announced exhibitors are Chaintex, Inresst, Colorsorts, 7 Leagues Fish Leather, LAB Denim and Orta.
A denim section curated by Los Angeles-based consultancy Denim Dudes will make its first appearance at the show, featuring ISKO, Iskur, Desert Studio and Maritas.
Naia joins this edition as a sponsor. JUKI America, Reformation and Weturn will support the Re/Assembly upcycling competition as award sponsors.
PREFACE founder Betsy Franjola said: “Heading into PREFACE this January in LA, it truly feels like we’ve hit our stride. With inspiring collaborations alongside Denim Dudes and Re/Assembly, our mission to educate the industry on better sourcing choices comes into sharp focus. This season, circularity isn’t just a concept —it’s being broken down at every level by exhibitors and speakers who make these methods tangible, achievable, and relevant for every brand.”
The event's agenda will include a textile showcase curated by PREFACE, alongside an upcycling design competition hosted by Re/Assembly and Here|After’s programming focused on future industry developments.
The Re/Assembly competition will take place on 28 January on the show floor. Nine designers will participate in a six-hour live challenge to create garments from denim provided by Reformation as well as post-consumer clothing, with guidance from educational partner Nexus Moda.
The California Product Stewardship Council will participate as an institutional partner for the initiative.
A multidisciplinary jury consisting of Amy Leverton of Denim Dudes, Adam Taubenfligel (Triarchy), stylist Cameo Smith Adele, Clinton Hughes (Oddinary) and Stina Randestad (Re/Assembly) will evaluate the competition entries.
Winners will receive JUKI sewing machines, credits from Weturn, a Reformation gift card, a factory visit and one-on-one coaching with Laura Rusch, senior denim designer at Reformation.
Re/Assembly creative director Stina Randestad said: “Bringing the Re/Assembly competition to Los Angeles allows us to spotlight local design talent already integrating upcycling into their practice, with support from Nexus Moda’s deep ties to the local design community.
“It’s especially meaningful to reconnect with LA’s denim heritage by placing donated denim from Reformation at the heart of the competition. By letting young designers lead the way, we hope to demonstrate the powerful possibilities of creative reuse to both the fashion industry and the wider public.”
