Building trust through sustainable storytelling: Inside UKFT’s marketing workshop with UNEP
16/02/2026
UKFT hosted the in-person workshop ‘A Marketer’s Guide to Sustainable Storytelling’ in collaboration with One Planet Network / UNEP, on 9 February 2026 in London. The UKFT member-exclusive session explored how marketing, content and communications teams in UK fashion and textiles can build trust and loyalty through clear, compliant and compelling sustainability messaging. Find out more below.
UKFT brought together a group of 30 fashion brands, textile businesses, manufacturers, innovators and universities to discuss a shared challenge: How to communicate sustainability with accuracy, creativity and confidence.
The in-person workshop ‘A Marketer’s Guide to Sustainable Storytelling’ took place in the UKFT Atrium in London, on Monday 9 February 2026. Hosted in collaboration with One Planet Network / UN Environment Programme (UNEP), it was designed specifically for marketing, content and communications teams looking to strike the balance between creativity and compliance. The day aimed to help participants:
- Understand what makes a sustainability claim compliant and what to avoid
- Translate complex sustainability data into accessible, brand-aligned messaging
- Integrate authenticity and creativity without crossing compliance boundaries
- Connect with peers facing similar challenges across fashion and textiles
The session combined expert insight with practical application and networking times. After a round of speed networking, the morning featured sessions from UKFT’s Marketing and Sustainability teams. It included an overview of the sustainability messaging landscape, Greenwashing, Green Claims, as well as active and emerging regulations such as:
- Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008: Implements the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive covers misleading environmental claims.
- Competition and Markets Authority Green Claims Code 2021: Contains six core principles guiding environmental claims.
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024: Effective April 2025 grants the CMA direct enforcement powers and fines of up to 10% of global turnover for misleading claims.
UKFT also highlighted resources available to its members, from the Marketing Network through to Compliance and Sustainability guides, webinars and tailored business support. Find out more here.
This was followed by a deep dive into building trust through better fashion and textile marketing, delivered by Manon Sennéchael, Stakeholder and Partnership Engagement Lead (UNEP / One Planet Network / Retail4Impact). The session highlighted the benefits of speaking about sustainability. The topic is a key value driver, particularly in the UK and Swedish markets, which have the highest spend per capita in sustainable products (Euromonitor International, Sustainability Claims Tracker, 2025).
Sustainability-marketed products grew almost twice as fast as conventionally marketed products between 2017 and 2022 (Sustainable Market Share Index, NYU / STERN, 2022). However, misinformation and greenwashing have remained a significant challenge which can have business consequences including reputational risks, loss of market share and consumer distrust.
The legal landscape has intensified in recent years to combat greenwashing, whilst consumer awareness on product sustainability has also increased. This puts further pressure on both Sustainability and Marketing teams to ensure their campaigns, product pages and brand content meet regulatory standards and audience expectations.
To navigate the complex regulatory landscape surrounding sustainability messaging, speakers provided tools and guidebooks, including the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code, UNEP’s Guidelines for Product Sustainability Information, the UN’s Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook and UKFT’s Green Claims and Greenwashing Fact Sheet.
Participants were able to put into practice what they had learnt in the morning, during the afternoon’s hands-on activities. UKFT led a campaign and content sustainability messaging workshop, whilst Manon Sennéchael delivered an activity on product-level sustainability claims – aligned with her work on UNEP’s Retail4Impact initiative.
Attendees could pick between case studies provided by the workshop leads or their own organisation’s pages. They worked through them in small groups to refine and strengthen their approach to sustainability messaging, aided by expert insight. They left with a bank of resources, practical guidance, examples and tools you they can apply immediately to their communications.
The next Marketing Network event, Smarter Marketing for Small Teams, will take place in London on 4 March 2026. UKFT members are invited to contact info@ukft.org to register.
Retail4Impact
Retail4Impact aims to unite the retail sector in providing credible, trustworthy product sustainability information at the point of sale, to inform consumer behaviors and choices towards sustainable consumption. The inaugural edition enabled 8 leading retailers, food producers, textile and cosmetic brands to strengthen some of their product green claims in line with the UNEP Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information.
About The Marketing Network
This workshop was hosted as part of UKFT’s Marketing Network, a supportive community bringing together marketing professionals from across the UK fashion and textile industry. The network comes together several times a year, both online and in-person. It includes sessions on a wide range of marketing-related topics such as AI in marketing, workload management for small marketing teams, how to write a press release that will get noticed, sustainability communications and more. To join this UKFT member-only network, email info@ukft.org.