Skip to main content

Insights from Latest British Fashion Council Report: A Tech-Infused Roadmap to Fashion Sustainability

by Ineke Lavers

It's no secret that our fashion habits have taken a toll on the environment. The most recent report from the Institute of Positive Fashion’s (IPF) 'Circular Fashion Ecosystem Project', in partnership with GreenWith Studio, sheds light on key solutions: technology, care, and repair.



1. Embracing Technology


The report underscores the intersection of fashion and technology as a promising path for change. Integrating technology into garment manufacturing offers the potential to extend care and maintenance throughout an item's lifecycle. 


One innovative idea is to use QR codes on clothing labels. These digital codes provide buyers with information on how to care for their clothing, including specific care instructions, repair tips, and recycling guidelines. Brands can also use technology to share a garment's journey, backed by data collected from the supply chain.


Cutting-edge technology like RFID and NFC can also enhance clothing care. RFID tags and NFC technology allow washing machines to detect the best washing methods for each garment, providing a more informed choice for consumers and encouraging positive behavioral changes.



2. Sustainable Business Models


To combat overconsumption, the report emphasizes the need for a shift from linear to circular business models. 


The current model of Manufacturing — Retail — Users — Landfill/Incineration contributes to massive waste, particularly in fashion. The IPF report suggests redirecting garments back into the production-consumption cycle. 


This requires advanced sorting facilities to manage large-scale garment flow, enabling items to be reused, recycled, or repurposed.


While this circular approach may not be immediately economically attractive to manufacturers, the report highlights the importance of multi-sector collaboration to explore the economic feasibility of regenerative recycling. The focus shifts from profit to an ecosystem of sharing and giving back.



3. Gen-Z's Influence


Gen-Z plays a pivotal role in the shift towards sustainable fashion. 


With platforms like Depop and Vinted, buying second-hand is a natural choice for this generation. A recent eBay recommerce report revealed that 80% of second-hand buyers and 1 in 3 sellers are Gen-Z, driving a cultural change in their fashion choices. 


Their activism and social awareness amplify the value of clothing as a symbol of sustainability and engagement with a circular economy.



From consumption rates to emotional attachment, the report targets challenges across the fashion lifecycle. 


By rallying diverse actors, from production to disposal, the report remains optimistic about the potential for technology, circular models, and Gen-Z to drive positive change in the fashion industry.


Fashion's historical role as a vehicle for cultural transformation positions it to lead a revolution towards sustainable practices. Embracing this shift is pivotal for fashion's own transformation and contribution to a more sustainable future.


Edited by Emily Duff

Most Popular

Fashion For a Cause: Brands That Stand with Palestine and the history of fashion as a form of Activism

by Oana-Maria Moldovan For over two months, there has been an ongoing genocide war in Gaza. To simplify a long and horrific issue, the situation that started, on a larger scale, around one hundred years ago, and has only become amplified since October 7th 2023. Taking place around the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel–Lebanon border, the armed conflict is between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups.  The problem is about “stolen” land. Said land is seen as an important holy part of both religions involved. But really, how holy can we consider a land to be, if people kill other people for it? It’s important to remember that this genocide is about three things: forced occupation, zionism, and religion. It’s also important to remember what ethnic erasure is. This terrible expresion, also known as cultural or ethnic assimilation, refers to the process by which the distinct cultural or ethnic identity of a particular group is gradually diminished or erased, often due to...
Read more

Now What? The Aftermath of the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'

by Susan Moore Here is a bit about me: I am an open, excitable, creative AFAB who is also moderately attractive. I have a unique sense of personal style and a personality that on the surface can only be described as “bubbly” and “quirky”. For this reason, dating is a nightmare. To be sure, I do not have a hard time finding dates or potential suitors. The problems arise when said dates spend some time with me and decide that I am a rare specimen, and the connection they feel with me is “unlike anything they have felt before”. Then, things go one of two ways.  Either a) they decide I am too high maintenance and no longer palatable, or  b) they choose to never look further than the surface and are content to date the idea of me rather than the real me. There is something rather interesting, perhaps funny, about my situation. It is in no way unique. I have met so many people who constantly dealt with the same problem. Even funnier still, is the fact that there is a trope that simu...
Read more

The Resilient Art of Filipino Weaving

by Yasmine Cariaga Weaving is one of humanity’s oldest art forms and is integral to Philippine culture and spirituality.  Its origins in the archipelago can be traced back to the 13th century and it has miraculously survived war and occupation. Other than its survival, what makes the art form so  special is its power to unite Filipinos across all 7,641 islands. Hand looming has been passed down from ancestors to descendants.  Filipino women grow up observing their elders weave and from a young age, they begin stitching their heritage onto fabric which will last for generations. To really understand weaving's cultural significance, we have to acknowledge the impact of the Philippines’ colonial past. Spain first colonised the Philippines in 1565 and the Spanish attempted to suppress Filipino indigenous traditions through various means during their colonial rule. The first way was religious conversion.  Missionaries demonised Filipinos' indigenous beliefs and practices ...
Read more