Sustainability And Circularity

New investigations into the industry’s upstream energy mix - in synthetic fibres and production - remind us that fossil fuels are not just a blindspot in disclosure, but also a potential point of failure.

Governments are taking more punitive steps in what they see as a fightback against ultra fast fashion - even if they’re coming from unexpected angles. But this new pressure point is getting squeezed just as the physical systems required to make fashion more circular are under heightened strain.

France’s new fast fashion legislation, Shein’s emissions disclosure, and Chanel’s supply chain investment spotlight different sides of fashion’s systemic impact.

New data shows how appetite for reshoring manufacturing has dwindled, and softening sustainability legislation will likely see it taper off even faster. Can a new era of trade policy and consumer demand for domestic brands create the conditions for investing in a more proximate future for production?