Accelerating sustainability in the textile value chain, inspiring action and behaviour change

Hosted by the UN Environment Programme, this session will launch the upcoming UNEP roadmap report, which will set out a collaborative pathway for the sector to move to greater sustainability and circularity in the textile value chain. The roadmap has been developed through a multi-stakeholder consultation approach for joint ownership and builds upon a 2020 UNEP report, Sustainability and Circularity in the Textile Chain. This stocktaking analysis of the current state of the textile sector identified hotspots of high environmental and socio-economic impacts in the value chain and mapped existing initiatives against them. The session will also launch UNEP’s upcoming sustainable fashion communications strategy, which builds on technical findings and recommendations to strengthen demand for a positive fashion future by changing the narrative of the sector from one of extraction, exploitation and disposable consumption, towards regeneration, equity and care. This objective requires an increase in consumer awareness, industry accountability, and policy breakthroughs with respect to promoting sustainability of the sector.