What happened at the BFC’s Institute of Positive Fashion Forum 2025
The annual event explores how to accelerate a circular fashion economy in the UK
Yesterday, the British Fashion Council (BFC) hosted its fifth annual Institute of Positive Fashion Forum (IPF Forum) in London. The action-oriented day explored the three themes of Net Zero, Circular Economy and Social Change and consisted of a series of keynote talks, practical workshops and panel discussions with industry leaders.
The event followed last week’s launch of a new report entitled ‘Moving The Needle - the Low Carbon Transition Programme for SMEs’, which outlines the levers that UK fashion Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can take to accelerate decarbonisation efforts. The report is based on the results gathered from the businesses who have participated in the Low Carbon Transition (LCT) Programme, and calls for continued industry and government support to drive scaled change.
The LCT programme was launched in 2023, designed and developed by the BFC’s IPF to support climate action within a crucial segment of the UK fashion industry. The programme has supported 50 London-based SME fashion businesses in measuring their emissions, creating tailored decarbonisation roadmaps through to 2030, and exploring how to make their business operations more circular. Brands who have participated in the programme so far include Bella Freud, Bianca Saunders, Charles Jeffrey and Patrick McDowell.
This year’s event included the fifth iteration of the Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase and a display from the Student Fabric Initiative which showcased student designs from BFC Colleges Council member universities using deadstock fabrics, powered by The Materialist. The winner of this initiative was announced at the end of the day as Oiai Wang, a BA student of Fashion Design at Glasgow School of Art.
Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC said: “The ultimate ambition is to create a simple and efficient way for designer brands and universities to work together and provide practical support for future talent, bringing sustainability and circularity even closer to the heart of fashion education in the UK.”
Speakers throughout the day included representatives from brands such as Burberry, Mulberry, Marks & Spencer, Patagonia and Nobody’s Child, as well as government officials and sustainability experts. Common themes from these discussions included optimism, determination, collaboration and education.
In her closing remarks, Rush said it had been “an inspiring day, with brilliant insights, conversations and an overwhelming sense of a community coming together with a vision and ambition to solve for a common goal; to decarbonise and to further push the industry to adopt more sustainable practices and have a positive impact.”
Tangible takeaways were outlined for businesses, government and for citizens, before participants were encouraged to share their feedback with the aim of planning for next year.
Rush said: “At the BFC, we play a pivotal role in helping brands implement and champion sustainable business practices as well as decarbonising. The BFC’s mission is to bring together a single voice and direction that convenes SMEs and big business to affect policy change.”
She closed out the day by saying: “Change is hard but our planet is worth it.” The event will be Rush’s last as CEO of the BFC — as announced last year, she will be stepping down in June 2025. Laura Weir will be her successor.
