Based in Britain.
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Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes
Fashion’s Future: Less Concentrated, More Connected
Written by Imogen Sullivan (July 2025)
The fashion industry’s wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of a few global giants- while countless local makers and communities struggle to be seen and supported. This imbalance not only stifles creativity but accelerates environmental harm on an unprecedented scale. Brands churn out more than they could ever sell—around 30% of garments made each season go unsold, contributing to massive waste and often bypassing consumers entirely which demonstrates the disconnect.
Diverse talent, infrastructures, sources of material, and perspectives are essential to improving the fashion industry’s embarrassing reputation for wealth concentration and its damaging environmental impact. Due to supply and demand, consumers hold the power to consciously redirect profits by making intentional choices. This can take many forms: challenging the ethics of big brands by draining their profits through mindful purchasing, supporting sustainable and ethical businesses, and demanding transparency about supply chains. By connecting with local artists, buying locally, and moving away from major brands, consumers can drive meaningful social and climate change and help reshape the industry for the better.
Some current aligning organisations:
TRAID
“All donations help fund our global projects supporting garment workers, their families, and communities.”
Fashion Declares
“Fashion Declares! brings together brands, retailers, designers, and other professionals to champion sustainable practices, reduce the environmental footprint of fashion, and bring about a fairer industry for all.”
Fashion Roundtable
‘Fashion Roundtable is underpinned by five pillars which we instil and evaluate throughout our work.
The pillars are:
Craft and Culture
Creative Wellbeing
Education
Representation and Inclusion
Sustainability and Social Justice’
Community Clothing
‘Shop From a Place Near You! Spun, woven, dyed, knitted & sewn in the finest factories in 49 towns and cities across England, Scotland, and Wales.’
Lucy and Yak
‘Our mission is to prove that it’s possible to create great products that give people joy and are kinder to the planet and the people that make them.’
The Trouble With Concentrated Power and Sources of Material
The issue isn’t the fibres and materials themselves; polyester, acrylic, cotton, silk, and leather all have their uses. The problem lies in the overreliance on a narrow range of these resources, which creates environmental and ethical challenges. When the fashion industry depends so heavily on just a few materials, it puts immense pressure on ecosystems, water supplies, and the communities involved in their production. Diversifying fibre sources and exploring alternatives can ease this strain, promote biodiversity, and build more resilient supply chains. A broader material landscape also encourages innovation which will help to shape a fashion industry that is more thoughtful and responsive.
But this over-concentration doesn’t stop at fibres. It’s mirrored in who holds the power and who doesn’t. The brands that benefit most from this system often operate far from the places where materials are grown, woven, and sewn. When wealth and decision-making are boxed into boardrooms, it becomes harder for the people behind the seams to access opportunities or shape fashion in ways that reflect real life- not just a glossy campaign or runway trend.
You shouldn’t throw sprinkles on a turd and call it Shein.
Recognising and valuing the skilled artisans behind the seams not only honours their expertise but also encourages more creativity and authenticity. This approach builds an industry that is vibrant, inclusive, and deeply connected to the people and places that inspire it. The trouble with concentrated power is that it side-lines this richness- overlooking the cultural heritage, lived experiences, and creative potential of the very people who bring garments to life.
If fashion is to move forward, power must shift. Toward makers, storytellers, and communities. Toward diverse materials, diverse voices, and more open systems. Only then can the industry become as collaborative, expressive, and layered as the world it dresses.
Why Local Production Matters
When we keep production close to home, something shifts. There’s more care, more accountability, and more room for culture.
There are countless ways to participate in this shift: fixing what we already own, removing stains instead of throwing garments away, picking up a needle, supporting a neighbourhood tailor and shopping for longevity rather than trends. Apps like Vinted and local vintage markets offer alternatives that are more circular, more human, and often more interesting than what’s pushed out seasonally by fast fashion.
By spreading out power- geographically and economically- we not only make room for independent designers and craftsmen to thrive, we create a system that’s better for the earth and everyone living on it.
Big Brands Are Already Feeling the Pressure
None of this is theoretical. The industry is already bending under the weight of its contradictions. Consumers are paying closer attention, calling out performative “green” campaigns, and asking questions that can’t be brushed aside. Scandals around cancelled orders during COVID, leading to mass layoffs, factory closures, and unpaid wages for millions of garment workers- most of them women- unpaid suppliers, and carbon-heavy supply chains have forced some brands to scramble for damage control.
But we don’t have to wait for them to change. Every shift toward small business, every second-hand purchase, every refusal to buy into overproduction sends a message: we see through the façade and we’re building something better.
Big brands already changing direction:
Patagonia
Podcaster Matt Barr asked the brand’s billionaire owner Yvon Chouinard more about why he gave Patagonia away to fight climate change:
“Earth is now our only shareholder,” he said. “If we have any hope of a thriving planet 50 years from now, it demands all of us doing all we can with the resources we have. As the business leader I never wanted to be, I am doing my part. Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth, we are using the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source.”
Stella McCartney
‘The innovative brand is developing many eco-friendly alternatives like grape-based leather alternatives (via a partnership with Clicquot) and mycelium-based leather (via a collaboration with Bolt Threads).
The brand achieved a 76% reduction in operation emissions in 2022, solidifying its pact to being a sustainable business.’
Sustainability Mag Stella McCartney Article
People Tree
‘33 years later, we are still very much committed to the same mission. Fair Trade, market access for disadvantaged and marginalised peoples, and sustainable options for peoples’ daily lives. And a thriving community of information exchange for people who want to create a sustainable and fairer world- people who want themselves to be the change they want to see in the world.’
Britain’s Opportunity (And a Nod to Those Already Leading the Way)
In the UK, decades of policy have favoured importing cheap labour and maximising retail over investing in local production. But this island has a rich history of textile work- sewing, dyeing, weaving, millinery, shoemaking- that deserves more than nostalgia.
Scotland
Tweed and Knitwear
(Harris Tweed, Scottish Cashmere)
Glasgow
Victorian Garment Production
London
Haute Couture, tailoring, and huge social impact
(Mayfair/Savile Row, Norman Hartnell, and Vivienne Westwood)
Luton
Millinery
(straw boaters, bonnets, and military headwear)
Northampton
Shoemaking
(Dr Martens, Tricker’s, Loake, and Church’s)
Nottingham & Leicester
Lingerie, Corsetry, Hosiery, Lace, Knitwear
Birmingham
Corsets and Leatherwork
Yorkshire
Wool Cloth and Fashion Textiles
Reinvigorating British factories would bring skilled jobs, support ethical designers, and allow for tighter oversight of waste, water use, and worker conditions. Beyond the economic benefits, it would breathe life into a cultural revival.
Some are already laying the groundwork:
Tolu Coker
‘Inspired by the duality of the designer’s British-Nigerian heritage, family history of social activism and passion for social change, Coker proposes a distinct notion of reformative luxury fashion that centres quality tailoring, cultural preservation and collaborative multidisciplinary practice over the brevity of seasonal fashion trends.’
Nicholas Daley
‘The London-based designer launched his eponymous brand in 2015. Embedded in his lineage, his practice intertwines personal narrative with wider Black British and diasporic themes, incorporating tradition, authenticity, and diversity.’
Khadi London
‘From facilitating ethical cross-cultural collaborations between designers and artisans, to hosting knowledge-exchange conferences and festivals, our case studies each work towards our mission of pioneering a responsible industry.’
Khadi London Website
My Multicultural British Fashion Utopia
If power and profit weren’t so concentrated, people and the planet could be rich too- rich in opportunity, growth, and the freedom to create and enjoy a broader, more inspiring selection of fabric art. In the confines of the fashion industry, my utopia is rooted in localised systems that empower diverse innovators and skilled craftsmanship, collaborating through ideas that honour history and nourish the future of both people and the planet. Clothing manufacturing is no longer outsourced and overlooked, but celebrated for its circular supply chains and its commitment to human well-being. Our multicultural nation finds its voice through fashion and textile storytelling, enabled by high-quality, community-based upcycling factories- made fit for purpose and with love. There is so much to focus on separately throughout this informative article, but it is important to underline the purpose behind what drives us at Riot Garments: proof that with conscious choices, collective effort, and bold imagination, this Utopia isn’t far out- it is already in motion.