More than 270 industry participants gathered at Drapers’ Hall for UKFT Sustainability Conference 2026: Progress in Practice, focusing on practical approaches to textile innovation and sustainability.
The UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) brought together more than 270 industry participants at Drapers’ Hall for its Sustainability Conference 2026: Progress in Practice, examining how innovation can support measurable progress across the fashion and textile industry.
Held around four thematic sessions, the conference brought together brands, retailers, manufacturers, researchers, recyclers, innovators and investors. More than 40 speakers contributed to discussions covering next-generation fibres and materials, lower-impact colour and finishing technologies, textile waste valorisation, and traceability and verification.
The event also featured the first Textile Innovation Showcase, with 18 UK-based exhibitors presenting technologies and materials across several areas of textile innovation.
From Innovation to Commercial Application
A central theme throughout the conference was how emerging innovations can move beyond pilot projects and become commercially viable solutions.
Discussions considered factors including quality, price and production volume, alongside the evidence, investment, partnerships and supply-chain changes needed to implement new materials and processes at commercial scale.
Case studies presented at the event highlighted businesses testing and adopting new approaches, while panel discussions explored practical challenges with innovators and companies working directly with these technologies.
Textile Innovation Showcase
The Textile Innovation Showcase provided an opportunity for attendees to engage directly with companies developing new technologies and material solutions.
The 18 UK-based exhibitors covered areas including:
- Bio-based materials
- Colour and finishing technologies
- Textile-to-textile recycling
- Advanced textile sorting
- AI-enabled design
- Manufacturing technology
The showcase demonstrated different approaches to reducing waste, changing resource use and keeping materials in circulation for longer.
UKFT has also published a new guide to its Innovation Members, highlighting organisations working across the textile innovation landscape.
The Circuit to Develop UK Textile Recycling Feedstock
The conference also served as the launchpad for The Circuit, a collaboration involving New Look, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Oxfam and Circle-8.
The initiative aims to develop routes for UK post-consumer textiles to be converted into recycling feedstock. Its first phase is scheduled to begin in January 2027 at Oxfam’s Batley site.
The initiative was discussed as part of the wider conference focus on creating value from textile waste and developing infrastructure that can support greater circulation of textile materials.
Focus on Bio-Based Materials and Chemistry
The conference programme included a dedicated session on “The Era of Bio-Based Materials”, bringing together researchers, material developers, brands and industry specialists.
The session featured speakers from organisations including UKFT, Tera Mira, 29acacia, Fibe, SEFF, PACT, Sustainabelle, Studio Chelsea Franklin, Pentland Brands, Margaret Howell and Ponda.
Another session, “Rethinking Chemistry: Colour & Finishing,” examined developments in textile coloration and finishin