Fashion and coronavirus: ensuring a sustainable recovery

Policy briefing

  • Circular economy
  • Creative economy
  • Design
  • Behaviour change
  • Climate change

The fashion industry is a symbol of the challenges and opportunities of recovering from Covid-19.

People want fashion to change. In our poll:

  • Only 19% think the industry should go back to normal after Covid-19. 
  • 50% think the industry should do whatever it takes to become more environmentallsustainable. 
  • 47% want to see the fashion industry change supply chains to be based more in the UK.
  • 35% of women are planning to buy less clothes after lockdown.

People's desire for change must be supported by the fashion industry and the government. 

The industry should use this opportunity to embrace the circular economy:

  • use safe, sustainable materials
  • design garmets for durability
  • explore reuse & repair services to keep clothing in use longer
  • sign up to the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan

Read the policy briefing on fashion and coronavirus (pdf, 1.1 MB)

Contributors

Picture of Josie Warden
Head of Regenerative Design