United Kingdom

Asos is under scrutiny for banning customers deemed to be overusing its free returns service, sparking debate about the viability of online fashion’s long-standing business model. While the retailer defends its decision as necessary to maintain service standards, critics argue it exposes deeper flaws in the digital shopping experience and its environmental and financial sustainability.

The UK is preparing to turn its textile waste crisis into an economic opportunity with a proposed national recycling hub. Backed by industry and government partnerships, the initiative is projected to create jobs, cut waste management costs, and advance circular economy goals. The plan includes advanced sorting facilities and chemical recycling to tackle over a million tonnes of textile waste annually.

Supply chains today face unprecedented risks—from cyberattacks and geopolitical tensions to supplier insolvency and logistics disruptions. Insights from the Supply Chain Risk and Resilience Summit reveal why businesses must embrace proactive planning, invest in risk assessments, and prioritise supplier collaboration to navigate the shifting dynamics of global trade and resilience.

New research shows that UK shoppers support small, visible Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) charges on clothing to fund textile recycling and promote sustainable fashion. Transparent communication and simple labelling could help drive a circular economy without deterring consumers from making purchases.

The UK Government has been urged to adopt a variable EPR system to support and safeguard textiles manufacturing businesses by designing and selling more circular products, and by offering circular services like repair and reuse.

Nonprofit WRAP has warned that if the UK’s used textiles sector goes under, charities, local authorities and consumers will have to pay the cost of dealing with unwanted used textiles.

The Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN) has come out with a landmark report detailing two years of industry-led collaboration to accelerate the UK’s transition to a circular fashion ecosystem.

Is virtual fashion a sustainable fix or just another short-lived trend? Could virtual-only clothing be a cleaner opportunity for the fashion industry? A new study from the University of Portsmouth delves into the growing phenomenon of e-fashion — digital garments worn in virtual environments — and found these intangible items could help bridge the gap between fast fashion and environmental sustainability.

The care label is evolving to meet the changing expectations of Europeans as a key element in guiding consumers on how to care for their clothes, according to the GINETEX Barometer. Between the need for simplification, the addition of new symbols or the integration of digital tools, there are several potential levers to improve its effectiveness and legibility.

The future of sourcing and circularity in the UK holds promise, contends a UKFT report that explores opportunities for growing domestic fashion manufacturing along with a comprehensive analysis of current sourcing trends as also future prospects for apparel manufacturing.