Innovative ten-year agreement will help make positive changes to the industry

Manchester Fashion Institute has signed up to Textiles 2030, a new expert-led sustainability initiative to limit the impact clothes and home textiles have on climate change.

Led by WRAP, a global sustainability charity, Textiles 2030 is a new voluntary agreement which aims to transform the way the UK supplies, uses and disposes of clothing and textiles over the next ten years. 

Backed by the government, the innovative initiative will operate in line with the Paris Agreement and the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.

As an affiliate signatory of Textiles 2030, Manchester Fashion Institute will provide expertise to support brands and recycling organisations as they set targets, measure the impact of products and track progress on an individual basis, towards national targets.

Jane Wood, Senior Lecturer in Textiles Technology at Manchester Fashion Institute, has been appointed to the Advisory Group for the initiative.

The Advisory Group will provide expertise ensuring the voluntary agreement is well-designed to support signatory action in reducing the carbon and water footprints of UK textiles.

Wood, Senior Lecturer in Textiles Technology at Manchester Fashion Institute said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to be at the table with like-minded industry professionals. As sustainability is one of Manchester Metropolitan’s strategic pillars, it is critical that we engage with these global initiatives to ensure that not only can we bring our expertise to the collaboration, but that we use this opportunity to further embed sustainability in the heart of the HE curriculum. From a personal subject specialism point of view, this is one of the most exciting projects of my career!”

The Advisory Group will be supported by a number of working groups focussed on measurement, policy and circulatory.

Barbara Shepherd, Head of Business Engagement at Manchester Fashion Institute has joined the Policy Working Group that will evaluate measures that might contribute to an effective UK government textiles policy.

Shepherd commented: “Being involved in the Policy working group for Textiles 2030 is key if we are ever going to be able to affect real change in our industry rather than just talk about what needs to happen.”

Nick Hall, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Innovation will sit on the Circulatory Working Group which will develop the evidence and deliver a Test-Learn-Adapt-Share approach, accelerating circular use of textile products and materials.

Hall said: “Developing scaled circular business models for the UK fashion and textiles industry as part of the Textiles 2030 circularity working group is critical to continuing the industries prosperity and re-emergence from recent challenges. Now is the time and opportunity to balance people, planet and profit whilst generating the world leading innovations that will drive a 4th industrial revolution.”

Textiles 2030 builds on the learning and success of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP 2020) initiative and aims to engage the majority of UK fashion and textiles organisations in collaborative climate action.

The initiative has already secured a number of signatories with participants including brands, retailers, homewares, fashion sector organisations, re-use and recycling businesses, technical, academic and sector experts.

Signatories will collaborate on carbon, water and circular textile targets and also contribute to national policy discussions with UK governments.

By 2030, signatories will reduce their carbon impact by 50%, reduce water impacts by 30% as well as working together to introduce more circular approaches to their business.