Innovation & Sustainability
As the demand for enhanced performance and functionality of fashion and textile products increases, there are major growth opportunities for UK companies and sector–wide innovation. At the same time, the sector has ambitious social and environmental goals to meet as we transition to a circular economy.
UKFT is at the forefront of large-scale innovation projects to tackle some of our industry’s biggest challenges. We help to attract research investment and unite the industry in pre-competitive collaboration.
We provide practical help and guidance to help members meet their sustainability goals and share best practice. Through our close connections with the UK and European governments, we help companies prepare for changes in future sustainability legislation.
UKFT Updates
UKFT Innovation and R&D projects
Sustainability 101
A new series of guides to support UK fashion and textile businesses on their sustainability journey
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UKFT Sustainability Conference
UKFT's Sustainability Conference 2025: Innovation in Action will explore how innovation is driving real change across the UK fashion and textile supply chain
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Automatic-Sorting for Circularity in Textiles (ACT UK)
UKFT is leading a £4 million project to develop and pilot a pioneering fully-integrated, automated sorting and pre-processing demonstrator for waste textiles
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Circular Fashion Innovation Network
UKFT is co-chairing a new programme in partnership with the British Fashion Council (BFC), which will support and guide the creation of a circular fashion ecosystem in the UK
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Back to Baselines
UKFT is part of a project led by the University of Leeds to develop scientifically-backed environmental and design baselines to analyse the current status of sustainability practices
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EPR Data Sandbox
A project to explore the use of an industry-led EPR system that incentivises circular economy principles across the supply chain
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Digital Supply Chain Hub Testbeds
A project to improve the visibility of data flows of waste textiles, as part of our ambition to create a circular textile supply chain in the UK
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Future Fibres Network+
UKFT is part of the new Future Fibres Network+ (FFN+) led by the University of Exeter and aims to embed environmental sciences at the heart of fashion, wider apparel and textile sectors
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Sustainable Supply Chain Optimisation
A pilot project to create a data-driven platform, enabling manufacturing supply chain real-time decision-making, effective track and trace, and sustainability
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Future Fashion Factory
A £5.4 million R&D partnership exploring and developing new digital and advanced textile technologies to boost the design of high-value creative products. UKFT's Adam Mansell is chair of the project
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Other Industry Innovation Projects
The Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology (BFTT)
The Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology (BFTT) is a five-year industry-led project, which focuses on delivering sustainable innovation within the entire fashion and textile supply chain
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UKFT and Sustainability
Sustainability & Government Policy
Find out more about UK Government Policy around sustainability in the UK fashion and textile industry, and UKFT's role in activity
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Textiles Circularity Centre
A new Textiles Circularity Centre, led by the Royal College of Art, aims to reduce the UK’s reliance on imported and environmentally- and ethically-impactful clothing materials
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Traceability for Sustainable Garment and Footwear
A UNECE project to develop an international framework initiative to enhance transparency and traceability. UKFT is on the main strategic committee board and in the subgroup for industry pilots
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Textiles 2030
UKFT is a signatory to Textiles 2030, which aims to accelerate the fashion and textiles industry’s move towards circularity and system change in the UK. UKFT's Adam Mansell is on the advisory board
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Institute for Positive Fashion
BFC's Institute for Positive Fashion celebrates industry best practice and encourages future business decisions to create positive change. UKFT's Adam Mansell is on the steering committee
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Energy
UKFT manages the government’s Climate Change Levy scheme for the textile manufacturing sector and works with partners to help members access the best available energy efficient technology
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The impact of Aftercare
Over the life span of a textile product, aftercare represents up to 40% of its environmental footprint. With GINETEX, UKFT promotes the use of the Clevercare symbol to help consumers care for clothes
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