Fashion companies are rethinking how they work internationally by paying much more attention to local differences in consumer behaviour and cultural preferences. New research shows how brands modify their digital platforms and products to suit different cultural contexts around the world. This shift makes local adaptation a key business strategy rather than just an operational task.

Pakistan’s fashion sector is undergoing rapid change, shaped by industrial growth, heritage practices, and sustainability challenges. The country’s integrated supply chain, reliance on cotton, and emerging use of synthetics highlight systemic risks. Traditional eco-friendly practices are fading, while small-scale sustainable brands point to alternative paths. Weak governance, industry greenwashing, and missing education remain critical barriers to meaningful progress.

Water use and wastewater discharge from global apparel supply chains are escalating environmental and social risks. A new study highlights Bangladesh’s garment sector as a critical case, showing how targeted investments could deliver measurable gains in sustainability and operational performance across production systems. It outlines investment approaches that could help suppliers implement water-saving technologies and strengthen long-term resilience across the garment industry.

India’s cotton sector faces falling acreage and rising prices as farmers switch to more profitable crops like paddy and pulses while mills boost imports. Recent government policies, including a higher minimum support price and a postponed quality order, are changing how the industry operates. Consumption remains strong, while exports and imports reflect both domestic constraints and international market conditions, which will define the challenges of the 2025–26 season.

A revised proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been submitted to ECHA by authorities in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. It follows extensive consultation and now undergoes detailed scientific scrutiny. The revised background document will guide ECHA’s committees in evaluating health, environmental and socio-economic implications before they prepare opinions for the European Commission.

A new Austrian study examines textile reverse logistics and identifies operational weaknesses across collection, transport, sorting, interim storage and resale. Researchers warn these inefficiencies demand accelerated investment, coordination, and process improvements from commercial firms and socio-economic enterprises to handle rising volumes sustainably.

The UK is moving closer to building a closed-loop textile recycling system, with a major new report outlining how advanced sorting technology can transform waste into valuable resources. By mapping the steps from collection to high-quality fibre recovery, it highlights the coordinated action needed to cut landfill use and drive circular fashion growth.

Cascale and Worldly have developed a standardised methodology for apparel and footwear companies using the Higg MSI to calculate FLAG emissions. The method separates FLAG from aggregated GHG data, integrates land use change figures, and applies base and conservative assumptions. It delivers consistent baselines, enabling compliance with Science-Based Targets initiative requirements and alignment with forthcoming GHG Protocol FLAG reporting guidance.

India’s textile industry is a major emitter due to fossil fuel reliance in wet-processing. A new study evaluates electric boilers and heat pumps, modelling national, state, and cluster adoption scenarios to 2050. Findings highlight efficiency gains, emissions reductions, and cost implications, particularly when combined with renewable energy procurement, across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and the Surat cluster.

WWF-India and Solidaridad have entered a strategic alliance aimed at transforming India’s cotton and palm oil sectors through regenerative agriculture. The partnership focuses on building climate resilience, improving transparency, and fostering responsible sourcing. Joint activities will include pilot projects, policy advocacy, market reforms, and research to embed sustainability principles into agricultural production systems.