Source Fashion 2025 has opened its doors today at Olympia London for a three-day event, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, buyers, brands, and retailers in the UK’s new sustainable sourcing show.
Why does this matter?
Fashion and textiles account for approximately 10% of global CO₂ emissions and have a massive environmental and social footprint. Rivers, lands, cities, and coasts are increasingly filled with discarded clothes, synthetic dyes, and microplastics due to the industry’s fast-paced, wasteful nature.
In the UK alone, 700,000 tonnes of textiles end up in landfills or incinerators each year.
In London, the numbers are staggering:
- The average Londoner buys 48 new clothing items per year and discards 44—40% of which go straight to the bin.
- Each Londoner spends an average of £1,100 per year on clothing.
- The fashion industry in London generates 2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, roughly 1/175 of the UK’s total emissions.
With such a linear model—buy, discard, repeat—how do we transition to a circular system that extends the lifespan of garments? How can we encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable habits? And how do we outsmart fast fashion in a world that constantly pushes us to buy more, cheaper, and faster?
What role should governments and regulators play? Which labels and certifications actually matter? And what are the emerging trends and innovations that could make circular fashion the norm by 2050?
More importantly, what can Londoners do today?
Key takeaways from Source Fashion’s first-day sessions
1. How Can Brands Do Better? What Will the Industry Look Like in 30 Years?
The first session, moderated by Nick Reed (founder of NEEM+), featured:
- Charlotte Pumpford (Vivobarefoot)
- Sarah Jordan (Y.O.U Underwear)
- Jackie Andrews (Johnstons of Elgin)
They explored how brands can raise sustainability standards and lead the way. Key takeaways included:
- Transparency with customers – Consumers increasingly want to know where their clothes come from and how they’re made.
- Reducing petrochemicals in production – Innovations in natural fibers like algae-based textiles and 3D printingare gaining traction. The challenge? Making shoes 100% petrochemical-free.
- Garments designed for recyclability – Natural materials like wool, hemp, linen, and silk have longer lifespans, carbon storage benefits, and antimicrobial properties. However, the UK lacks the infrastructure to process them at scale.
- Take-back schemes – These are still in their infancy and struggle because many brands stockpile returned products instead of actually reusing them.
- Encouraging slow fashion & local shopping – Brands should help customers connect with their clothes through local repairs, bespoke products, and quality over quantity—even if it means producing and selling less.
A major challenge remains: balancing sustainability with affordability. At a time when fast fashion is cheaper than repairs or second-hand options, changing consumer behavior is difficult. However, trust can be built through storytelling, integrity, and incentives (e.g., vouchers for returning old shoes/clothes).
2. Regulating Greenwashing & Greenhushing
This session led by Mike Coates (CMA) and Miles Lockwood (ASA) examined how regulations can combat:
– Greenwashing – Brands making exaggerated sustainability claims.
– Greenhushing – Brands downplaying their environmental impact.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have been cracking down on misleading sustainability claims. However, with hundreds of thousands of businesses, it remains impossible to check them all.
A key takeaway: Without a national framework with legally binding circularity targets and harmonisation of certifications, the linear model will persist, and misleading sustainability claims will continue.
There’s also the issue of too many certifications (e.g., B Corps, Fair Trade, Organic) which confuse consumers rather than helping them make informed choices.
Who should lead the transition?
- Governments through regulation?
- Consumers through purchasing power?
- Businesses through best practices? The frustrating reality: All three often blame each other for not acting fast enough.
3. The Role of Policy in Shaping a Circular System
The final session, led by Mark Sumner, explored policy-driven transformation. WRAP’s Textiles 2030 initiative aims to accelerate the industry’s transition to sustainability.
🔹 A surprising insight: Price isn’t always correlated with durability—cheap denim can sometimes outlast premium brands.
🔹 A thriving second-hand market depends on designing clothes for longevity, repairability, and reuse.
What Can Londoners Do?
Sustainable fashion isn’t just about what we buy—it’s about how we engage with our clothes. From what we choose to wear to how long we keep it, there are many ways to make fashion a little greener.
Shopping with intention – Quality over quantity, timeless over trendy. Vintage, second-hand, or well-made pieces can outlast fast fashion.
Keeping clothes in circulation – Repairs, repurposing, and take-back schemes can help extend the life of what’s already in our wardrobes.
Understanding the impact – Every garment has a story. What is it made from—natural fibers or synthetics? How was it dyed? Was it produced ethically? The answers shape the footprint of what we wear.
Building a stronger connection with what we own – We interact with clothes every day, but how often do we really think about them? A more mindful relationship with fashion could change the way we consume.
Exploring local solutions – From repair cafés to circular fashion initiatives, London is home to many efforts pushing for a more sustainable industry (e.g., ReLondon, London Councils).
There’s no single path to a more circular fashion system, but small shifts can add up—especially when they start with what’s already in our wardrobes.
Stay tuned for the launch of the London Textiles Plan this spring—a collaborative roadmap to position London as a global leader in circular fashion by 2030.
