Sustainable Fashion news and archive

Circle-8 invests in AI-driven textile sorting

Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems has acquired its first standalone AI-powered textile sorting line from Danish firm NewRetex, in a move that signals growing momentum for automated circularity solutions in the UK fashion sector. Part-funded by the ACT UK initiative, supported by Innovate UK, the system will be deployed to sort non-reusable textiles by...

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Environmental objectives of luxury groups: Who is aiming for what?

By 2040, Chanel is expected to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain. With this goal, the company aligns itself with the Paris Agreement signed in 2015, which aims in particular to keep global warming well below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels by 2100. But what about the other luxury giants? FashionUnited...

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Africa's secondhand clothing market balances economic promise and pressures

Africa has become a critical player in the global secondhand clothing market, offering a fast-growing outlet for pre-owned apparel exports while highlighting tensions between economic necessity and industrial ambition. Driven by affordability, style diversity, and sustainability concerns, the continent’s demand for secondhand garments—often...

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Shein versus Vestiaire Collective: the ideological (and economic) battle over fast fashion

France - Two irreconcilable visions of have fashion clashed. On one side, Shein, a Chinese ultra-fast fashion giant, advocated for fashion “accessible to all”. On the other, Vestiaire Collective, a French pioneer of high-end second-hand fashion, denounced a toxic promise based on social exploitation, textile waste and the endangerment of an...

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In Hong Kong, Fashion InStyle aims to make ‘Made in Asia’ rhyme with sustainability

As the global economy was disrupted by rising US tariffs, many Asian fashion players met in Hong Kong from April 27 to 30 to attend the Fashion InStyle trade show and the first edition of the Next@Fashion InStyle space. FashionUnited was on site to gauge the pulse of ‘Made in Asia’. It was crowded in late April at the huge Convention and...

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ByBorre introduces Textile Room: Digital platform for customisable textiles

Amsterdam-based textile innovation studio ByBorre launched the Textile Room, a digital platform that offers designers worldwide access to configurable fabrics. The Textile Room features 20 directly customisable textiles within the studio's AO3 and 3D-knit structures. Designers can configure colour combinations, pattern repeats, and texture...

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Plant-based colourant manufacturer Sparxell wins ChangeNow ‘Coups de Cœur’

Sparxell, an LVMH-backed, plant-based colourant tech firm, has won ChangeNow’s ‘Coups de Cœur’ recognition award in the fashion category, and has further been named among the organisation’s Change100 winners for 2025. The list, a round up of the top sustainability startups to watch this year, evaluates solutions based on their positive impact...

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Fashion|STUDY

Glimpact study reveals 90% of a garment’s environmental impact happens before it’s made

It's no secret that the fashion industry is a rather dirty one. The ecological impact of apparel production has been closely followed over the years as climate change awareness continues to gain traction. For example, textile production is estimated to contribute approximately 20 percent of global clean water pollution, primarily due to dyeing...

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“Mend in Public Day” - when repairing one’s clothes becomes a revolutionary act

Just a generation or two ago, it was common practice to mend an old garment at home – broken zippers, torn knee or elbow areas, ripped hems, loose buttons – none of this was a problem. Every household relied on their darning and sewing utensils, and many even had a sewing machine. Difficult cases were handed over to the trusted tailor, which...

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What does Puma's sustainability claim mean that nine out of ten products are made from recycled or certified materials?

Sportswear giant Puma released its sustainability report just in time for Earth Day. The report highlights that the company achieved its 2021 goal of making nine out of ten products from recycled or certified materials that have lower emissions last year. But what does this mean exactly? FashionUnited took a closer look at the report. The...

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Tom Tailor partners with Dutch repair platform Mended

Almost a year ago, in May 2024, Mended, the Dutch online platform for clothing alterations and repairs, expanded into Germany. Initially, this was through a partnership with Cologne-based sustainable brand Armedangels. This partnership proved so successful, generating 100 repair orders within 15 minutes of launch, that Mended is now...

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In celebration of Earth Day: A rundown of some major eco-fashion milestones

Earth Day has officially landed and, among the complexities of the current economic and environmental climate, it seems the event has never been more important. This year’s theme, ‘Our Power, Our Planet’, emphasises that while further putting a core focus on renewable energy. Organisers of the event are thus calling for global renewable energy...