£6mln from UKRI funds sustainable fashion research
A £6mln investment by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) aims to help the fashion and textile industry integrate more sustainable and responsible practices.
UKRI has funded three complementary teams of researchers, working in partnership with industry experts and other stakeholders.
The teams will build a bank of data and knowledge and support the sector in adopting sustainable circular business models.
The three networks are:
- The Back to Baselines in Circular Fashion and Textiles Network, which is being led by the University of Leeds. It will establish a baseline to analyse the current status of sustainability practices in the industry
- The Future Fibres Network, which is being led by the University of Exeter. It aims to embed environmental sciences at the heart of fashion, wider apparel, and textile sectors, and establish systematic, circular and sustainable principles as the industry norm
- The IMPACT+ Network, which is led by Northumbria University. It will assemble a cross-disciplinary team to improve the collation, analysis and assessment of data to advance the reliability and authenticity of environmental impact measures
Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, says, ‘The British fashion industry leads in creativity and its founders and entrepreneurs are leading innovators in their field. However, in order to responsibly grow businesses at a time of great change requires platforms, support and co-ordination.
'We look forward to working with industry and government to support the UK in retaining its reputation as creative leaders in a global industry and to develop its ability to responsibly and collectively address how we accelerate to a leading circular fashion eco-System in the UK.’
The fashion and textile industry are estimated to be worth £21bln to the UK economy and provides more than half a million jobs.
Fashion uses more energy than both aviation and shipping combined.
This investment is a key part of UKRI’s £15mln circular fashion programme.
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