British Fashion Council Pledges To Become More Sustainable, Adopting Nordic Requirements
A new collaboration was announced between the UK and Copenhagen, which will see sustainable industry action accelerate
The British Fashion Council announced in a statement on January 13 that it is implementing similar sustainability requirements as Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Appointed members of BFC oversee, advise and support the design industry in Britain, including London Fashion Week, which will take place at the end of February.
The collaboration was welcomed by CPHFW CEO, Cecilie Thorsmark, saying: “This partnership not only fosters much-needed industry alignment but also underscores the unique potential of fashion weeks and councils to drive positive change within the industry.”
The new requirements work as minimum standards that participating brands in London Fashion Week must meet. These requirements will be added to the existing mandatory admissions criteria, which will see its full implementation in effect by January 2026.
As 2024 goes down in history as the hottest year on record, it can be hard to believe that the sustainable goals set by companies leave any real mark on a global scale. Are they just that? Goals?
In an article last year for my dissertation (titled: It Is Not Enough To Hope: If We Want To See Substantial Change in The Fashion Industry It Must Be Forced) I wondered about the exact same thing.
There is rarely a big improvement in the year-to-year operation of fashion brands. Even though sustainable initiatives and commitments are sure green flags, making the full switch is risky.
Changing a business strategy that is secure in profit, brand recognition/status, and returning customers is likely to come with financial implications. That’s why start-ups can afford to work with sustainability and ethical production from the beginning. They do not have high margins to reach each year, acquired after years of working at the expense of cheap labour and materials.
That’s one part of the fashion world; the one we see every day. Then there are the glamourous fashion weeks.
The big four (New York, London, Milan, Paris), with thin models and celebrities strutting down a thought-up runway in an industrial-turned-chic warehouse, appear archaic and exclusive, always structured around the big fashion houses. It is nearly impossible to imagine these companies as the frontmen and women of sustainable change.
I won’t argue that biannual fashion weeks are any better than fast-fashion brands. They often display clothes that are not ready to wear and set trends for the coming year that high-streets will imitate. But it is important to remember, for better or for worse, that fashion shows are installations. They are art shows and should be treated as such.
However, as grand spectacles of creativity and innovation, they do serve some good. Since Copenhagen Fashion Week first introduced its ambitious green requirements in 2020, and again in 2024 with revisions, more organisers on an international scale have followed suit, such as Norway and Germany. Now, London is pledging to adopt similar standards.
Chief Executive of British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush said in the statement: “This partnership is a significant step in ensuring that sustainability becomes integral to the future of fashion. Together, we are creating a framework that empowers emerging designer fashion businesses to lead the way and contribute tangibly to a more sustainable and responsible industry."
Cecilie Thorsmark added: “With the British Fashion Council, as an influential player in the global fashion landscape, we see a lot of potential to further amplify the impact of our collective commitment to sustainability.”
A year ago, as Copenhagen Fashion Week revised its sustainability brand requirements – which are coming into effect in just a few weeks – I wagered that if other fashion weeks decided to implement the same practices as CPHFW, perhaps fast-fashion brands would eventually see the light too. It is pleasant news to see that international collaboration is well on its way.
I will leave the same comment here as I did then. It is not enough to hope for change; 2025 will most likely be the hottest year on record too, just as 2024 followed 2023 as the new record-holder. It is also not enough to follow guidelines and encourage sustainability. Requirements with regular revisions based on government policies, industry developments and learned experiences are the only way to make actual change.
It’s a hot topic – literally. In any other circumstance, I would have been thrilled that the conversation of sustainability was even on the agenda. Now it is time to put the money where our mouths are. London, I see you.