The UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) is launching its 2026 Discover British Brands and Textiles campaign, raising the profile of UK fashion brands and textile businesses exhibiting internationally. 

Running across early 2026, the refreshed campaign will promote British exhibitors to global buyers and press through a cohesive digital and onsite activation. It will showcase the heritage, craftsmanship, innovation and creativity that underpin the UK fashion and textile industry. Read more below. 

International tradeshows, showrooms and fashion weeks are critical moments in the global fashion and textile calendar. Often based around the world’s key style and sourcing capitals, these events are where international buyers discover new collections, renew supplier relationships and place orders shaping seasons ahead. 

For UK fashion and textile businesses, exhibiting internationally is a strategic route to growth. Benefits of exporting include accessing new markets, diversifying revenue streams and reducing reliance on the domestic market. These are some of the reasons why many UK fashion and textile businesses become global earlier than businesses in other industries. For many, a comprehensive export strategy will include showing at a few carefully selected international events.  

Exporting is challenging, but it’s an opportunity. “At UKFT, we support companies with getting to international tradeshows and navigating export documentation. We’re able to answer questions such as: Do they need an ATA Carnet? Which customs forms do they need to complete? Which shipping paperwork should they look at?” Find out more about UKFT’s Export Support. 

Campaign overview

UKFT’s 2026 Discover British Brands and Textiles campaign will showcase UK brands, designers, textile mills and manufacturers exhibiting at major international events. Its aim is to support buyer discovery, strengthen the visibility of British exhibitors and reinforce the UK’s reputation as an export-ready fashion and textile nation. 

This season, the campaign will cover five key events: 

• Pitti Immagine Uomo, Florence (13–16 January) 

• Paris Men’s Fashion Week & Pre-Collections, Paris (17–28 January) 

• Milano Unica, Milan (20–22 January) 

• VIATT – Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies, Ho Chi Minh City (26–28 February) 

• Paris Fashion Week, Paris (4–10 March) 

Digital and onsite activation

The campaign is anchored by UKFT’s short film, UK Fashion & Textiles: It’s what we’re made of, which will be shown on the UKFT stand at selected events. The film brings to life the innovation, responsibility and ethical practices that lie at the heart of our industry. 

This will be supported by a coordinated digital campaign across UKFT’s Instagram and LinkedIn channels, alongside paid social activity and newsletter features.  

For each event, UKFT will publish a list of British exhibitors and stand numbers to help buyers, press and industry visitors to locate the UK group ahead of time. For Paris Fashion Week, UKFT will also offer its free, downloadable Discover British Brands in Paris map. 

UKFT will have a presence at several of these events. Visitors are encouraged to meet the team onsite or visit the UKFT Global Brands page to explore UK exhibitors by show. Detailed exhibitor information will be shared closer to each event. 

Partners and participation

UKFT would like to thank its partners supporting the 2026 Discover British Brands and Textiles campaign: the Department for Business & Trade (DBT), The Clothworkers’ Company, British Wool and the Campaign for Wool. 

 UK brands and textile companies exhibiting at any of the events listed above are invited to get in touch at info@ukft.org to be included in the campaign.