Highlights from Q4 2025 include:
MEMBERSHIP: Member engagement remained high throughout the quarter. The annual Member Reception attracted almost 120 attendees across the membership community, providing valuable opportunities for networking, collaboration and knowledge exchange between brands, manufacturers, educators, innovators and service providers. Feedback continues to demonstrate the value members place on these opportunities to connect and build new relationships across the sector.
VOICE & ADVOCACY: UKFT is leading efforts to secure changes to UK public procurement rules to support domestic fashion and textile manufacturers, particularly within defence supply chains, while maintaining active engagement with government, industry partners and key stakeholders across trade, sustainability and skills. During the quarter, we responded to government consultations, continued advocacy on circular economy policy, PFAS, due diligence and corporate disclosure requirements, and contributed to international trade discussions including negotiations with Canada and ongoing engagement with the EU and WTO.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: International trade and export support remain a core area of activity. A key highlight was UKFT’s presence at Techtextil Frankfurt, which provided an important platform to engage with the UK technical textiles sector and demonstrate its strategic contribution to national priorities including defence, healthcare and critical infrastructure. Support for exporters and members navigating increasingly complex global trading arrangements continues across all markets.
COMPLIANCE & REGULATION: The inaugural UKFT Regulation Summit, held in June, brought together more than 100 industry leaders, policymakers and regulatory experts to discuss sustainability legislation, circular economy policy, Extended Producer Responsibility, trade developments and compliance challenges. Delegate feedback was highly positive and reinforced UKFT’s growing role as a platform for industry dialogue and a trusted source of regulatory insight.
SKILLS & TRAINING: The UKFT Education Partner Conference, hosted by The University of Manchester, attracted more than 70 representatives from education, industry and government and was the largest conference of its kind delivered by UKFT to date. Alongside this, work is progressing on a major review of vocational skills provision across UK textile manufacturing and sewn products. Initial findings highlight significant challenges in apprenticeship uptake and workforce development, with the next phase focused on industry consultation and recommendations for reform. Demand for paid internship opportunities continues to exceed supply, with applications for the MADE IT programme reaching almost four times the number of available places, underlining the importance of structured pathways into employment.
INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY: Our innovation and sustainability team continues to deliver targeted sustainability clinics, innovation support and member engagement activities, including a Textile Innovation Showcase delivered in partnership with HSBC. Innovation membership continues to grow, reflecting increasing demand for support in this area.
Keep reading to learn more about these exciting initiatives and feel free to get in touch out if there are further ways we can help you. Thank you for your ongoing support!
