UKFT believes that Textiles 2030 can help the UK fashion and textile industry shift the dial on sustainability, said CEO Adam Mansell to mark the first Textiles Action Week.

In the first six months of its existence, Textiles 2030 has recruited over 92 signatories and affiliates, spanning brands, retailers, re-use and recycling organisations from across the fashion and textiles sector. Textiles 2030 signatories already represent 62% of all clothing put on the market in the UK.

Textiles 2030 goals and ambitions are:

• Cut carbon in line with a 1.5 degree warming
• Cut water by 30%
• Create and deliver a circular roadmap for textiles in the UK

The first six month progress report can be downloaded here.

UKFT CEO Adam Mansell said: “We all know that globally the industry is one of the most polluting that there is and we generate an enormous amount of waste. We all need to do whatever we can to change that.”

Cascading information that is generated by Textiles 2030 down through the industry is one of the ways that UKFT can help.

“Our ambition for Textiles 2030 is that we create a real, meaningful and measurable roadmap to help all parts of the UK fashion and textile industry to become more sustainable. We need to create simple but effective tools for manufacturers, brands and retailers and help push the message through to customers.”

He added: “It’s great that Textiles 2030 is working on both policy and metrics at the same time, and with an aim not to duplicate some of the existing schemes that are available. The sustainability arena is very complex, with many players and standards so anything we can do to drive simplicity and deliver a really clear message to all of our members has got to be welcomed. We are looking forward to working with the rest of the Textiles 2030 signatories to deliver that.”

Textiles 2030

Launched in November 2020, the voluntary agreement aims to bring together UK fashion and textiles organisations to accelerate progress towards a circular economy and climate action within the textiles industry.

As a founding signatory of Textiles 2030, UKFT wants to encourage UK fashion and textile companies to consider signing the agreement and to collaborate with the wider industry.

Dr David Moon, Director of Collaboration and Change at WRAP said: “The learnings and success of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan have provided the foundations for Textiles 2030. SCAP was the first voluntary agreement of its kind to measure and act within the UK textiles sector and the knowledge we have gained from this agreement has underpinned what needs to happen to make Textiles 2030 even more impactful.

“Sector-wide change is essential if we are to achieve climate targets and a circular economy in materials, so we have been collaborating with businesses, Governments and other stakeholders to develop Textiles 2030. The public, investment managers and policy makers are all demanding practical action, sustainable products and evidence of outcomes. We need more companies to show their commitment to action through Textiles 2030, continuing and evolving the legacy of SCAP.”

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TEXTILES 2030

Innovation, R&D and sustainability is a key pillar of UKFT’s activity. Find out more about some of the projects UKFT is working on to help the UK industry take full advantage of these new technologies and markets and to help change the future landscape of the textile industry in the UK into one where circularity and environmentally sustainable supply chains are the new normal. Read more here.