Context and Challenge

The fashion industry is one of the most resource-intensive and environmentally damaging sectors in the world. From cotton fields to textile mills, from fast fashion outlets to landfills, the industry’s global supply chains are deeply implicated in biodiversity loss. Land-use change, pollution, and climate emissions are driven by the relentless pursuit of cheap materials, rapid production cycles, and ever-growing consumption.

Fashion’s impact is not only environmental but social. The sector relies on low-cost labour, often in precarious conditions, and perpetuates inequalities between the Global North and South. Despite its cultural influence and economic power, fashion has largely ignored its role in the biodiversity crisis. Academic literature and EU policy have only recently begun to address this gap.

Vision for Transformation

In the future we envision, fashion becomes a force for ecological regeneration and social justice. Biodiversity is no longer an afterthought, but a guiding principle. The industry shifts from a linear “take-make-waste” model to one rooted in circularity, sufficiency, and care.

Garments are designed to last. Repair services are accessible, and skills in mending and maintenance are widely shared. The flow of new products slows, and marketing no longer fuels compulsive consumption. Instead, people value what they already own, and fashion becomes a medium for expression, not excess.

Raw materials are cultivated through agroecological practices that regenerate ecosystems. Fossil fuel-based synthetics are phased out, and water and chemical use is tightly regulated. Small and local enterprises thrive, building meaningful relationships with communities and traditions. Workers enjoy safe, fair conditions, and trade unions help rebalance power in the sector.

Governance shifts from voluntary pledges to binding regulations. Brands, producers, and brokers are held accountable for their impacts across the supply chain. Public action plans support collaboration across institutions, levels, and scales – from grassroots movements to international frameworks. Fashion becomes a space where biodiversity, dignity, and creativity coexist.

Leverage Points and Pathways

The research identified twelve key messages for transforming fashion:

• Make biodiversity a priority across the sector.
• Reduce production and consumption volumes.
• Transition to agroecological farming for raw materials.
• Shift away from virgin and fossil-based materials.
• Support circularity through repair, reuse, and recycling.
• Regulate water and chemical use.
• Promote business models based on sufficiency, quality and regeneration.
• Ensure fair labour conditions and social protection.
• Move from voluntary to legally binding governance.
• Deepen understanding of fashion–biodiversity interdependencies.
• Improve transparency and accountability in supply chains.
• Strengthen collaboration across actors and institutions.

These messages emerged from interviews, document analysis, and visioning workshops with key stakeholders, including small and medium-sized companies already pioneering sustainable practices.

Barriers and Enablers

Barriers include entrenched business models that prioritise short-term economic gains over sustainability, lack of regulation, and consumer habits shaped by decades of marketing. The invisibility of biodiversity in fashion discourse, the fragmentation and the strong power inequalities within the supply chains also hinder change.

Enablers include growing awareness of planetary boundaries, the rise of sustainability-focused enterprises, and increasing pressure for regulatory reform. Cultural shifts toward justice, sufficiency and care – supported by education, activism, and policy – offer fertile ground for transformation.