UKFT supports Fashion Industry Sustainable Change Programme

The programme aims to deliver investment in skills, innovation clusters and regional regeneration, alongside the creation of an industry-led centre of excellence. It will focus on supporting the industry to embrace new circular business models and help to create the world-leading recycling and sorting infrastructure that will truly bring about systemic change and opportunities for UK manufacturing, UKFT said in a press release.

UKFT has been working closely on this agenda with Innovate UK, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the department for environment, food & rural affairs, the department for business, energy & industrial strategy, the department for digital, culture, media & sport, the British Retail Consortium and Wrap (Textiles 2030). UKFT is also on the steering committee of the Institute of Positive Fashion, which is expected to lead the new centre of excellence.

This move was recognised at an event at Downing Street on June 8, hosted by the prime minister Boris Johnson and the BFC. It was attended by guests from across the fashion and textiles industry including designers, manufacturers and innovators, media, retailers and business leaders, as well as government and academia.

“This is a pivotal time for UK fashion and textiles. In order to survive and grow, it is essential that the sector strengthens its sustainable competitiveness. It will mean a fundamental change and one that needs to be delivered at pace, and will call for new skills and new jobs. We are delighted that the UK government is recognising the importance of our sector and the opportunities that exist. We look forward to working with the industry to drive a change with far-reaching benefits for the whole UK fashion and textile supply chain,” Nigel Lugg OBE, chair of UKFT, said.

“The UK fashion industry is a big contributor to the economy and to brand Britain and I am delighted to support this brilliant industry as it moves forward with a 10-year Fashion Industry Sustainable Change Programme bringing opportunities across the UK to meet our Government Climate Action Plan of environmental and societal change,” UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said.

“Imagine 10 years from now a city like Leeds which has a rich history in manufacturing and textiles retaining its role as a key part of the fashion and textiles industry and an example of a circular city with reprocessing plants, energised highstreets with take back schemes where product is broken down, re-spun and made to create new fabrics; a city with an inclusive and diverse workforce, with new skills and learning opportunities. This isn’t a pipe dream – elements of this are already being seen around the world – we can bring this expertise together and make it a reality for the UK putting us at the forefront of change. The scale of the challenge is such that industry can’t do this alone. Many great things are being done in silos, but joining the dots, thoughtful regulation and supercharging change through funding will help the UK lead in this respect,” Stephanie Phair OBE, chair of the British Fashion Council, said.