admin UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced a six million pound investment into the fashion and textile industry to help drive more sustainable and responsible practices.
The new funding will go towards three complementary teams of researchers, each of which will be responsible for building up data and knowledge surrounding the adoption of circular business models.
In a release on the investment, Peter Liss, interim executive chair of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), a part of UKRI, explained: “The fashion industry makes a significant contribution to the UK.
“But it also impacts the environment, including using water resources and causing emissions of greenhouse gases. We need to better understand the true impact.
“This investment will bring together industry experts and researchers in environmental science and fashion to embed sustainability in the fashion and textile industry.”
Industry experts to come together
The three networks receiving the funding include the Back to Baselines in Circular Fashion and Textiles Network, led by the University of Leeds; the Future Fibres Network, led by the University of Exeter; and the Impact+ Network, run by Northumbria University.
Each will receive around 1.4 million pounds to focus on a specific area of the initiative, such as analysing the current status of sustainability practices, embedding environmental sciences into the industry and assessing data to advance the authenticity of impact measures.
Commenting on the funding, Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council, said: “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 coordination.
“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.”
