Two Steps From The Future

TWO STEPS FROM THE FUTURE was an exhibition developed by Associação ModaLisboa in collaboration with APICCAPS – the Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association – and CTCP – the Portuguese Footwear Technology Centre. Structured around the BioShoes4All programme, the exhibition revealed the research processes, material innovation and technological developments that are transforming the Portuguese footwear industry and repositioning it as an international reference in Sustainability.

Presented at MUDE – Design Museum between November 2025 and January 2026, the exhibition made accessible processes that are usually confined to the fields of engineering, technology centres and manufacturing environments, bringing audiences closer to new raw materials, methodologies and production models.

Produced in close collaboration with APICCAPS and CTCP, TWO STEPS FROM THE FUTURE represented another example of ModaLisboa’s ongoing work with sector associations, connecting specialised knowledge, industrial production and society through cultural, exhibition and educational formats. With free admission, both the exhibition and accompanying masterclass reinforced the role of cultural mediation in fostering more informed participation in debates surrounding Sustainability, innovation and the transformation of production systems.

EXHIBITION

TWO STEPS FROM THE FUTURE brought together materials, technologies and methodologies that illustrate the ongoing reconfiguration of the Portuguese footwear industry. Leather stabilised with plant-based compounds, biomaterials developed from natural fibres and agro-industrial waste, bio-based polymers, recyclable composites and circular economy solutions were presented not as isolated experiments, but as evidence of the evolution of the sector’s development and production models.

By bringing these elements together within a single exhibition journey, the project enabled visitors to explore ecodesign methodologies, post-consumer waste reintegration systems and digital resource-sharing platforms, revealing a transformation driven by innovation, collaboration and environmental responsibility.

The exhibition also highlighted the networks of collaboration and innovation underpinning this evolution, demonstrating how technical knowledge, production capacity and strategic vision come together to respond to the sector’s environmental and economic challenges.

MASTERCLASS

Integrated within the exhibition, the TWO STEPS FROM THE FUTURE masterclass, held on 20 January 2026 at the auditorium of MUDE – Design Museum, explored the intersections between Fashion, Sustainability, Technology and Innovation, bringing students, professionals and the wider public closer to the processes transforming the Portuguese footwear industry.

Through topics such as bio-based materials, waste valorisation, ecodesign and industrial integration, the session demonstrated how knowledge generated through scientific research can be applied to concrete contexts of creation and production, promoting knowledge exchange between industry, research and creative practice.

With free admission upon registration, the masterclass formed part of ModaLisboa’s commitment to creating accessible learning environments and encouraging more informed participation in discussions around Sustainability, innovation and industrial transformation.

The session was led by Maria José Ferreira, CTCP’s Director of Research and Technical and Scientific Coordinator of the BioShoes4All project, alongside Joana Jorge, Project Director at Associação ModaLisboa.