A new report, Sustainable & Circular Skills: Recommendations for the fashion and textile industry and education, has been published to support the UK sector’s shift towards more sustainable and circular ways of working.

The report has been developed through the Back to Baselines in Circular Fashion & Textiles project, part of the Circular Fashion and Textile Network Plus. This programme is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council on behalf of the UK Research and Innovation Circular Fashion and Textiles partnership, which brings together NERC, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Innovate UK.

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Skills needed for the future:

Many businesses are already making changes, but the transition is not simple. Supply chains are long and complex, legislation is changing, and in many cases sustainability responsibilities sit with people who have learned on the job.

This work focuses on one of the main barriers to progress: skills.

It brings together input from industry and education to understand what skills are actually needed, where the gaps are, and how well current training routes are meeting those needs.

The research included interviews and workshops with people working across the supply chain, from manufacturing and design through to retail, recycling and policy, alongside input from educators across schools, further education and higher education.

Where the gaps are:

A consistent message came through. While sustainability is being talked about more, there is still a lack of clarity about what skills are required and how they should be applied day to day.

The result is a fragmented picture. There is clear intent across both industry and education, but not enough alignment in how skills are developed or delivered.

The report groups the key skill areas into four categories:

• technical skills
• specialist knowledge
• cross-functional capabilities
• behavioural skills

All four are needed in combination. In practice, they are often treated separately or not addressed at all.

What industry can do now:

The report sets out practical steps businesses can take:

• give teams more exposure to manufacturing to build understanding of how products are made
• connect with partners across the full product lifecycle, not just immediate suppliers
• make better use of existing guidance on legislation and compliance
• link sustainability goals to measurable KPIs
• invest in training that builds collaboration and decision-making skills, not just technical knowledge
• review current and future skills needs and reflect these clearly in job roles and recruitment

These are actions that can be started within existing structures and scaled over time.

What needs to change in education:

Education providers also have a key role to play. The report highlights a need to strengthen the pipeline of technical skills and ensure courses reflect how the industry is evolving.

Priorities include:

• rebuilding technical capability within fashion and textiles education
• introducing core knowledge on legislation and data related to sustainability
• working more closely with industry to deliver live projects and real-world briefs
• embedding teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills alongside technical learning

A co-ordinated approach:

The main takeaway is straightforward. Progress will be limited unless industry and education are better connected.

There is already good work happening in both areas, but it is not yet joined up. Without a more co-ordinated approach, skills gaps are likely to widen at a time when demand for sustainable and circular knowledge is increasing.

This report provides a clear starting point. It sets out what skills are needed and where the current system is falling short.

The next step is implementation. That means building these skills into day-to-day business practice, into training, and into how new entrants are prepared for the sector.

If that happens, the industry will be in a stronger position to respond to ongoing environmental and regulatory pressures, and to deliver practical, long-term change.

The report was written by Professor Amanda Briggs-Goode, Dr Elsa Ball and Dr Rachael Wickenden from Nottingham Trent University and Adam Mansell from UKFT, with contributions from Stella Claxon (Nottingham Trent University), Lizzy Dakin and Lauren Junestrand (UKFT). 

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