Making UK fashion more ethical

Improving ethical trading practices in the UK fast fashion industry

Dr Nik Hammer et al’s (2015) research, into unauthorised subcontracting and employment practices in UK apparel manufacturing, led to improvements in the supply chain practices of UK high street fashion retailers. It framed awareness amongst industry stakeholders and policy makers in terms of the fast fashion value chain, lead firms developed a new social auditing methodology and developed new public-private initiatives, and two parliamentary inquiries (‘Business and Human Rights’; ‘Sustainability of Fast Fashion’) drew on the research to inform policy recommendations on supply chain transparency and labour market governance.