Updates

The UK Fashion and Textile Association has released a comprehensive Code of Conduct template for members, designed to help fashion and textile businesses establish ethical, social and environmental standards. This exclusive resource provides structured guidance for companies to develop tailored codes that reflect their values and strengthen stakeholder relationships.

India has extended the implementation timeline for its Cotton Bales Quality Control Order after facing sustained opposition from the ginning industry. The decision comes as industry bodies argued that meeting Bureau of Indian Standards requirements would necessitate substantial investments in modern equipment that many mills currently lack.

A new study has found that eco-conscious trainer brands are falling short of true sustainability by focusing narrowly on materials while ignoring broader eco-design principles. Despite the footwear industry’s significant environmental footprint, many brands continue to implement fragmented initiatives without addressing the full product lifecycle or integrating social and economic considerations into their sustainability frameworks.

The fashion industry now has a powerful tool to map its complex sustainability challenges. The Fashion Impact Toolkit, developed by Global Fashion Agenda and Deloitte, catalogues around 3,000 impacts across the textile value chain. Designed for strategic planning and accountability, it equips companies to track, assess, and address environmental and social harms from fibre to end-of-life.

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.

FESPA is strengthening its global leadership in sustainability, education, and industry development through a range of future-focused initiatives. From achieving ISO 20121 certification to launching youth engagement and community projects, FESPA is aligning its operations and values with responsible growth, while continuing to support innovation, training, and sustainability across the speciality print and signage sectors.

A new OECD assessment raises concerns about the effectiveness of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Version 7.0 in addressing supply chain risks. Despite covering key due diligence areas, the standard falls short of full alignment with OECD expectations, exposing gaps in grievance mechanisms, purchasing practices, and the consistency of its guidance documents.

The retail industry is confronting a £64.5 billion waste crisis caused by rampant overproduction, with billions of garments and products never reaching consumers. A new report highlights the scale of the problem and explores the business case for degrowth, circular models, and sustainable production strategies as viable paths to reduce waste and protect long-term profitability.

Circula-TEX, a new EU-funded project under Horizon Europe, aims to harmonise textile waste management across Member States by developing unified Extended Producer Responsibility schemes and circular innovations. With 19 partners from nine countries, the four-year initiative will create scalable solutions.

A new 2025 analysis of fashion industry climate strategies has found that leading brands like Adidas, H&M Group, and Shein continue to fall short of meaningful action. The report by NewClimate Institute  cited weak electrification plans, overreliance on fossil gas and biomass, and a refusal to move away from the fast fashion model.