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Understanding SMEs in the EPR Sandbox

Industry Briefing – Tailoring textiles EPR to suit all businesses 

 

WEFT was funded by the UK Fashion & Textiles Association (UKFT) and the Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN) to assess products produced and sold by a range of smaller fashion and textile brands based in the UK. 

Learn from insights based on analysing SME data on over 300,000 new products and explore practical solutions for reducing costs and enhancing environmental performance.

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British Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the British 
fashion and textiles industry. 

This project illustrates how well fashion SMEs know their supply chains, their impacts and their sourcing to a granular level and it is this in-depth knowledge and 
understanding of their supply chain and circularity which will help them adapt to textiles Extended Producer Responsibility 

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Read the report to discover…

Data challenges and solutions

Brands often store product and sales data separately, complicating the integration and analysis of this data. Our project developed a method to match product identity, sales, and weight data, enabling accurate analysis.

Circularity

A central fund is proposed to incentivise circular activities such as repair, reuse, and recycling. This approach can help the industry drive real change through sustainable reinvestment of funds.

Variable fee system

We tested various variable fee models and compared fixed and variable options. Fee systems rewarding item weights and circular features incentivised participating brands on better product design and accurate reporting.

Industry impact

Scaling up variable fees can provide significant funding for circular initiatives and offer potential savings for brands adopting circular design principles. Data modelling indicates substantial benefits for the UK market, which can be replicated globally. 

Getting into the detail of the Sandbox

At the 2024 UKFT Sustainability Conference the WEFT Sandbox White Paper was launched. If you missed it you can watch again following links here:

OUR PARTNERS

Collaborating for Sustainable Change

WEFT collaborates with industry partners to drive sustainable change and advocate for fair and balanced EPR systems globally. Together, we work towards a more environmentally responsible fashion and textiles sector.

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