As London Fashion Week approaches, the charity Collective Fashion Justice (CFJ) has released a report criticising the British fashion industry for not taking sufficient action on the climate crisis.
The report highlights that less than 4 per cent of British Fashion Council (BFC) member brands have set targets to reduce emissions. The few brands that have made such commitments include Burberry, Mulberry, Kyle Ho, Rixo, and Margaret Howell.
According to CFJ, only 3.4 per cent of BFC member brands have publicised emission reduction targets, and a mere 2.4 per cent have adopted science-based targets aligned with the Paris Agreement. This stands in stark contrast to the broader UK business community, where 44 per cent of companies have structured plans to lower their carbon footprint, according to the latest Climate Ready Index.
CFJ’s founding director, Emma Hakansson, described the findings as concerning for an industry known for its creativity and innovation. She emphasized the need for the fashion industry to set science-based targets to reduce emissions and called for greater investment in climate action.
The British Fashion Council has yet to comment on the report. However, it has been encouraging sustainable practices within the industry for several years.
The fashion and textile industry is responsible for approximately 12 per cent of global emissions. McKinsey data indicates that the industry produced 2.1 billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gases, with this figure projected to rise to 2.7 billion metric tonnes by 2030. The CFJ report also noted that 38 per cent of these emissions are linked to raw material production, particularly from animal-derived materials and fossil fuel-based textiles.