March 2026 Sustainable Fashion Update

Written By OurFashionFix

Welcome to the April 2026 edition of the sustainable fashion update. This month sees a massive shift in the UK’s fashion strategy, a rise in "brand trolling" activism, and significant capital flowing into textile-to-textile (T2T) infrastructure.

The "Mumumelon" Parody

A look-alike store named 'Mumumelon' recently popped up in Marylebone, trolling Lululemon by mimicking its aesthetic to highlight a lack of climate progress. This comes as the real Lululemon faces increasing legal scrutiny, including a Texas AG probe and lawsuits over its 'Be Planet' campaign and the alleged presence of PFAS in its apparel.

Circularity & Materials Innovation

  • Bezos Earth Fund Grants: Announced $34 million in new grants to scale next-generation fibers and textile recycling infrastructure.

  • The Circular Fibre Collective: The Fashion Pact and Fashion for Good  along with Ellen MacArthur have launched an initiative to scale fibre-to-fibre recycling systems by 2030.

  • Madewell x Re&Up x Isko: This partnership launched a T2T Denim Collection using 20,000 pairs of post-consumer jeans turned into new GRS-certified fabric.

  • Syre Expands: The Swedish impact company is partnering with ABB to scale circular polyester recycling in Vietnam.

  • Primark’s New Standard: Primark updated its Circular Product Standard 2.0, tightening criteria on durability and recyclability.

  • SeaDyes Funding: The Scottish startup raised £200,000 to scale its seaweed-based synthetic dye alternatives.

  • Imperial College Innovation: Leaders gathered at Imperial to discuss the UK’s leading role in biotech fashion, from algae dyes to bio-sequins.

  • Sulzer & Spinnova Partnership: Swiss industrial engineering giant Sulzer has joined Spinnova’s ecosystem to accelerate the industrial commercialisation of sustainable fibre production. By integrating Sulzer’s expertise in large-scale process technology, the partnership aims to streamline the mechanical transition of textile waste into high-value circular fibres. Sulzer joins Spinnova to scale industrial commercialisation

  • Walmart and REI Back unspun: In a significant boost for domestic circular manufacturing, Walmart and REI have invested in unspun’s mission to establish 3D weaving apparel hubs across the US. This partnership will utilise unspun’s Vega™ technology to reduce waste and lead times through localised, on-demand production of denim and workwear. Walmart backs unspun’s US apparel hubs

  • Epoch Biodesign’s UK Expansion: Following a successful £9 million ($12 million) funding round, Epoch Biodesign has announced plans to open an enzymatic textile recycling demonstration plant in the UK by the end of 2026. The facility will showcase their proprietary enzymes' ability to break down complex plastic and textile waste into infinitely recyclable raw materials. Epoch Biodesign to open UK enzymatic recycling plant

    Matoha’s Sorting Innovation: UK-based Matoha, a company

    specialising in textile identification, has officially launched its new identification station designed to revolutionise the efficiency of textile sorting facilities. The technology uses advanced spectroscopy to instantly identify fibre compositions, providing the data accuracy required to scale the textile-to-textile recycling industry.

    Matoha launches new textile identification station

Retail Highs & Lows

  • Allbirds’ Radical Pivot: The footwear brand has surprised the industry by pivoting into an AI computing business to avoid closure.

  • QVC Bankruptcy: The home shopping giant has filed for Chapter 11 protection to restructure $5.3bn in debt.

  • Primark Spin-off: ABF confirmed plans to spin off Primark into a separate listed business following a dip in interim profits.

  • Temu (PDD Holdings): Reported massive revenue (£13.9bn)  but net income fell 11% YOY due to increased regulation and import cost pressures.

  • Selfridges has increased pay for its shop floor staff by 6%, as UK retailers continue to invest in wages in an effort to retain talent. Selfridges Boosts Pay for Shop Floor Workers - TheIndustry.fashion

  • Morrisons  announce over 200 head office roles at risk, around 8% of staff, as part of a restructuring programme. The retailer is increasing its use of data and AI to automate processes and improve efficiency amid challenging market conditions.

  • Sainsbury's’s enters early-stage consultations with its Tu clothing team over potential operational changes, which could result in job cuts.

Policy & Regulation

Supply Chain & Ethics

·        Rana Plaza (13 Years On): Survivors are demanding a greater voice in the International Accord negotiations, along with a say in how their own story is told.  Rana Plaza survivors challenge ILO and NGOs | Ecotextile News

Essential Reports & Research

  • Drapers’ Sustainability Report: The third edition of this report found 83% of UK shoppers say sustainability influences their purchasing decisions, while 56% say it actively shapes what they buy.  Whitepaper

  • The €11bn Recycling Gap: A BCG and ReHubs report states Europe needs €11bn in investment to scale T2T recycling.

  • ThredUp Resale Report: The 2026 Fashion Resale Report confirms that the secondhand market continues to outpace traditional retail.

  • Behind the Break 2: The Microfibre Consortium launched its next phase to integrate fibre fragmentation into design and manufacturing guidelines, the aim is to inform supply chain decision making and support brand sustainability strategies. 

  • UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) released a report that highlights skills gap as a threat to UK’s circular transition in fashion.  Sustainable-Circular-skills-report-.pdf

  • Nudie Jeans released their 2025 Sustainability Report highlights include a record-breaking year for their "Forever Repair" program with 68,342 pairs of jeans repaired and the expansion of their living wage program to 100% of their main suppliers in India. The brand also reached a milestone in material integrity, ensuring 96% of all fibers used are now low-impact materials like organic and recycled cotton, including the successful launch of garments made from regenerative organic cotton. This circular-first approach supported a 6% increase in sales, proving that their commitment to garment longevity and social responsibility remains a key driver of their business growth.

  • John Lewis & Partners: Released their latest ethics and sustainability reporting detailing progress .  The Partnership has achieved a 13.5% year-on-year reduction in operational carbon emissions, staying on track for its 2035 Net Zero goal. Key circularity milestones include a 25% increase in pre-loved items processed via its expanded "BuyBack" scheme and 40% of Waitrose UK farm suppliers transitioning to regenerative practices. Socially, the "Building Happier Futures" program has now provided employment and skills training to over 1,000 care leavers. JLP Ethics & Sustainability Report 2025/26

  • Damson Madder: Published their first Impact Report.  The independent label highlights that 92% of the cotton used across its collections is now organic or recycled, with 75% of all fibres being plant-based. The report underscores a commitment to extreme transparency and low-impact production, revealing that less than 5% of its current fibre mix consists of virgin synthetics - a figure the brand aims to reduce annually. Impact Report – Damson Madder

  • On released their latest Impact Report On Impact Progress Report | On United Kingdom.   On highlights a major milestone by surpassing its 2027 midsole target two years early, achieving 23% recycled and renewable content across its entire footwear range. While rapid global scaling caused an increase in absolute emissions, the brand successfully decoupled growth from impact by reducing Scope 3 physical intensity by 2% per unit. On is also evolving its "Cyclon" subscription into a comprehensive resale-donation-recycling ecosystem for 2026, while concurrently reaching 80.9% living wage coverage across its Tier 1 supply chain. On 2025 Impact Progress Report | On United Kingdom

  • Debrand Transparency Report: A rare look at where textiles actually go, revealing that T2T recycling remains a tiny share of diverted materials

Are you ready for the 2026 landscape?

OurFashionFix
Next

Feb 2026 Sustainable Fashion Update