UKFT was pleased to join our Education Partner, Manchester Fashion Institute, along with members from across the UK fashion and textiles supply chain, for the launch of FASHTRAX – a digital compliance platform developed with support from InterAct.

Designed to help fashion businesses meet fast-evolving legal standards, FASHTRAX offers practical tools for improving supply chain transparency and sustainability.

Events in London and Manchester brought together retailers, brands, manufacturers and innovators to preview the Digital Compliance Navigation Tool, developed by Manchester Metropolitan University in collaboration with our team via the LEGI-STANDARDS project. The tool is designed to support SMEs in understanding and complying with eco-standards and sustainability regulations. Alongside demonstrations, participants also contributed to a stakeholder focus group.

Developed by the Textiles Transparency Team (MFITT) at Manchester Metropolitan University, FASHTRAX is a knowledge exchange platform tailored to the needs of SMEs. It simplifies compliance by offering clear guidance on regulations, standards and resources related to sustainable supply chains.

At the heart of the platform is the Compliance Navigator, an intelligent diagnostic tool that provides tailored insights based on a business’s size, product type, and supply chain footprint.

“FASHTRAX is designed to simplify compliance in a complex world,” said project co-lead Julie Hodson. “With regulation coming from all angles – especially around sustainability and transparency – SMEs often lack the resources to keep up. This platform changes that, offering clear, actionable insights and tools.”

Funded by InterAct, part of the Made Smarter Innovation programme, and supported by partners including UKFT, FASHTRAX connects academia, industry and technology providers. The platform maps over 100 regulations to more than 40 eco-standards, using data from the UKRI-funded LEGI-STANDARDS database.

Professor Jillian MacBryde, co-director of InterAct, added: “FASHTRAX is a strong example of how social science research can support innovation and resilience. It’s helping UK fashion businesses adapt to digital transformation while driving sustainability.”

The Compliance Navigator is currently being piloted by 20 industry partners, with a full launch planned by the end of 2025. Early adopters will receive personalised reports outlining relevant regulations and recommended tools to support compliance, especially valuable for under-resourced SMEs.

Dr Hilde Heim, co-lead and founder of MFITT, said: “This is about futureproofing UK fashion. FASHTRAX empowers brands to respond quickly and cost-effectively to new rules, while embedding transparency and innovation in their operations.”

FASHTRAX is also supporting education, research and policy:

• At Manchester Metropolitan University, the project has strengthened MFITT’s leadership within the Sustainable Approaches to Fashion Enterprise (SAFE) research group.
• It has inspired the development of a potential consumer-facing tool to support ethical purchasing decisions.
• For students, FASHTRAX has enriched the curriculum with industry insights and real-world case studies.
• Project outputs are being shared through webinars, reports, and presentations to key bodies including UKFT, OECD, the EU Commission’s Joint Research Centre, ETP, and CIRPASS-2.

“FASHTRAX marks an important step towards digitalising the fashion supply chain,” added Dr Heim. “It supports innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability across the garment sector.”

LEGI-STANDARDS and the Compliance Navigator

Our involvement builds on the LEGI-STANDARDS project, funded by the Back to Baselines initiative and delivered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University. This three-phase project underpins the development of FASHTRAX:

• Phase 1 mapped over 80 eco-standards relevant to UK textile and fashion businesses against emerging sustainability regulations, with the goal of simplifying directives, assessing standard effectiveness, and identifying gaps in current eco-credential metrics.
• Phase 2 evaluated 20 advanced digital tools that communicate eco-credentials and align with legislative requirements identified in Phase 1.
• Phase 3 is piloting the Compliance Navigator with 20 industry partners. Early users will receive tailored support and guidance, helping SMEs meet compliance requirements more efficiently.

To learn more, visit:
FASHTRAX

Sustainability and Compliance Support for UKFT members

UKFT has a series of resources and guides to help members with sustainability and compliance. To access, please contact info@ukft.org

Not yet a member? Find out more at www.ukft.org/membership.