A new study examines how international regulatory frameworks influence effectiveness of eco-credential standards within UK’s Textile and Fashion Industry (TFI) and also recommends steps to improve value chain environmental sustainability.
- The study— Challenges of New Regulations and Strengths of Eco-Credential Standards in the UK’s Textile and Fashion Industry—by Effie Kesidou and Dr. Celinda Palm from the Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, finds that UK’s strong commitment to sustainability, combined with a highly aware consumer base, positions it uniquely to lead in aligning eco-credential standards with evolving global regulations.
The analysis reveals a global regulatory shift from general environmental protection toward more comprehensive, circularity-focused policies. Notably, circular end-of-life management has become the most legislated area, particularly at the retail and waste management stages.
- While this signal growing policy commitments to waste reduction and producer accountability, significant regulatory gaps persist in downstream activities, especially at the consumer use phase. Key aspects such as product care, longevity, and disposal remain largely unregulated, undermining ecolabels’ ability to influence consumer behaviour and weakening their overall lifecycle impact. Additionally, while robust regulations govern firms’ environmental reporting, there is a lack of comparable frameworks for tracking post-consumer textile disposal.
- Without enhanced reporting systems, it remains difficult to evaluate the true effectiveness of ecolabels across the full product lifecycle. Moreover, despite leading firms in the TFI projecting growth through increased volumes rather than prices, current regulations fail to address how this expansion can be aligned with sustainability goals. This represents a missed opportunity to leverage consumer demand for more sustainable textile fashion through regulatory frameworks that promote responsible consumption and production patterns.
- Given the UK’s evolving post-Brexit regulatory landscape, there is a strategic opportunity to harmonise ecolabel criteria with domestic and international sustainability regulations. Strengthening regulatory support at the consumer use and end-of-life stages, improving transparency through comprehensive reporting, and embedding sustainability throughout the value chain could not only enhance ecolabel credibility but also position the UK as a global benchmark for sustainable practices in the TFI.
- Strengthening regulatory support at the consumer use and end-of-life stages, improving transparency in reporting, and aligning ecolabels with existing frameworks could significantly increase the effectiveness of eco-credential standards. These measures would not only promote a full lifecycle approach to sustainability but also foster long-term growth by integrating sustainability into all stages of production and consumption.
Recommendations for improving TFI value chain environmental sustainability
- Align material choices, consumer behaviour, and circular end-of-life management across the value chain: To boost the effectiveness of ecolabels, policies need to harmonise material choices, consumer behaviour, and circular end-of-life management throughout the entire value chain.
- Support circularity certifications: There is a need for greater regulatory support for circularity certifications, particularly at the consumer use and end-of-life phases. This support could include promoting transparency in recycling rates, improving product take-back schemes, and incentivising product designs that facilitate recycling.
- Strengthen consumer-focused regulations: Regulations promoting consumer behaviour should be enhanced, including standardised labelling and clear guidance on disposal. Such measures would increase ecolabel credibility, reduce the prevalence of greenwashing, and encourage more sustainable consumption practices.
- Leverage cradle-to-grave ecolabels and firm proactiveness: Policymakers can capitalise on the significant increase in cradle-to-grave ecolabels, reflecting a circular management approach. This trend demonstrates that firms can act proactively, often responding to shifting consumer attitudes, anticipating future legislation, and moving faster than policymakers.
By aligning regulations with these proactive industry practices, policymakers can formalise circular management approaches and better integrate voluntary ecolabels.
- The analysis suggests that future research should incorporate social dimensions and a broader range of environmental factors using frameworks like regulatory ecology to explore how markets, law, and social norms shape sustainable business. This would offer deeper insights into the relationship between social systems and the natural environment, providing a clearer understanding of how sustainability efforts interact with broader societal contexts.
- Additionally, further research is needed on the extended business ecosystem of UK TFI firms of varying sizes to understand how regulatory impacts influence operations. This would enable a more nuanced understanding of how regulations play out across diverse business models, supporting more effective and inclusive sustainability strategies within the industry
ABOUT:
Back to Baselines in Circular Fashion and Textiles is accelerating progress towards establishing a research-validated baseline to analyse the UK fashion and textile sector’s current sustainability status, which will help ensure future strategy is aligned with environmental targets.
- A collaborative research initiative funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) on behalf of the UK Research and Innovation Circular Fashion and Textiles trilateral partnership [NERC, Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)] and Innovate UK (IUK)), it is led by Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC), a world leading research institute within the School of Design at the University of Leeds, which addresses global challenges facing the fashion and textile industry.
- Back to Baselines is one of three sub-networks within the Circular Fashion and Textiles Network Plus, a collaboration which is working to help understand and drive the fashion and textile industry towards sustainable and responsible practices. The Network Plus is part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Circular Fashion and Textile Programme.
