Report: Responsible UK supply chains by the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT)

Some of the key insights from the report:

1. Relationship-led approaches are outperforming audit-heavy models in driving sustainable, ethical practices (I think both are important, but I do see relationship-led approaches working well in the work I do)

2. There’s a huge skills and knowledge gap, especially for SMEs, in navigating social and ethical compliance (potential solution - unified guidance and training)

3. UK manufacturers juggle up to 50 different compliance frameworks - causing audit fatigue and resource strain (potential solution - clearer policy and enforcement, and unified guidance)

4. Brands are still applying offshore price expectations to onshore suppliers, pushing some below ethical thresholds (potential solution - ethical pricing education for buyers)

5. Production in the UK = faster lead times, less deadstock, lower emissions - but buyers need to understand the full value.