From Talk to Transformation: FEL At The UKFT Sustainability Conference 2025

At a time when the fashion and textile industries are under increasing pressure to operate sustainably, this year’s UKFT Sustainability Conference: Innovation in Action sent a clear message: the future is not only near…it’s already happening.

Hosted by the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) in London, the one-day event on 25th September 2025, brought together over 250 attendees, 38 expert speakers, and 27 focused presentations, all highlighting the tangible innovations shaping the next era of British fashion. Delegates included a diverse mix of brands, retailers, manufacturers, researchers, policymakers, and investors all with a shared goal: to drive environmental progress through meaningful action.

The theme, Innovation in Action, was brought to life through a dynamic programme that explored how real-world technologies and processes are already transforming every link of the supply chain from raw material sourcing to manufacturing, dyeing, finishing, and end-of-life recycling.

Attendees were given a front-row seat to the evolution of sustainability in UK fashion, with deep dives into:

• Next-generation materials with lower environmental footprints
• Low-impact dyes and colouration technologies
• Digitally driven manufacturing processes
• Textile-to-textile recycling innovations
• Collaborative case studies from pioneering UK businesses

This wasn’t just another event filled with blue-sky thinking it was rooted in what’s working now. As one delegate put it, the conference marked “a real shift in momentum”, with more brands and suppliers moving from discussion to implementation.

Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) and Chair of the Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation (ATMF) was included within the impressive speaker line-up. In her thought-provoking address, she underscored a key tension within the industry: while suppliers are investing heavily in innovation, many major retailers are still lagging behind in their support.

“Thank you to UKFT, it was great to see familiar faces and brands at the conference and to meet some new, exciting contacts. However, I couldn’t help but wonder—where were the big brands?” said Holloway.

“True innovation is happening at the supply base level, but it can’t survive on investment alone. We need brands to step up, recognise this innovation, and place orders. Without commercial support, even the best ideas won’t scale. It’s time for a roundtable, brands and suppliers need to talk, not in silos, but together.”

Holloway also raised concerns over the lack of visibility for Made in UK initiatives, particularly in cities like Leicester, which has faced harsh media scrutiny in recent years.

“We know of four major retailers that have returned to Leicester manufacturing but they don’t want to be named. That says it all. It’s time to stop hiding and start celebrating the value of proximity sourcing and British manufacturing. Leicester is a jewel in our supply chain. Let’s support it.”

The UKFT Conference made it clear: there is no shortage of innovation within the UK’s fashion and textile sector. From AI-enabled factories to closed-loop recycling pilots, solutions are being tested and scaled at a rapid pace. But the challenge now lies in building stronger connections between innovators, suppliers, and brands to ensure these efforts translate into real-world change.

Key takeaways from the day included:

• Sustainability is no longer a future goal – it’s a current imperative.
• Collaboration, not competition, will drive industry-wide transformation.
• Brands must become active participants in innovation – not passive observers.
• UK manufacturing has the talent, technology, and proximity to thrive – if given the right support.

With the Textile Livery Group and other sector leaders backing ongoing development, UKFT’s efforts to spotlight actionable innovation are helping redefine the conversation from greenwashing to grounded progress.

The full conference round-up and video content will be published soon on the UKFT website.

Images by Ben Broomfield Photography courtesy of the UKFT