2023 has been another tumultuous year in fashion in terms of news, with Covid still lingering at the beginning and concerns around ethical and sustainable sourcing mounting, globally. Gen AI has emerged as a dominant theme in 2023 before the world was rocked by a devastating earthquake in Türkiye, a key clothing supplier to the European fashion sector. Fashion brands and retailers have been laser-focused on growth during the year and the second-half saw several major acquisitions take place.
Here are the top 20 news stories in 2023
Global textile recycling plea as secondhand clothes deemed 70x more sustainable
A new life-cycle assessment (LCA) commissioned by EURIC on behalf of European textile reuse and recycling industry suggests secondhand clothing has a 70 times lower environmental impact and calls for initiatives to accelerate investments in global textile recycling facilities.
Brands failing to protect Myanmar garment workers
Workers’ rights have been “brutally repressed” in Myanmar, with little to no action from the brands who source from them, new data claims.
US launches Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity
The US has officially launched the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity - a trade and economic cooperation initiative within the Western Hemisphere.
Cambodia to invest US$18m in apparel manufacturing projects
The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has approved three investment projects for the apparel sector that will create up to 5,000 jobs, according to local news reports.
New study suggests AI will revolutionise fashion design
A new study conducted by the Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea suggests human-artificial intelligence (AI) collaborative designs could revolutionise the future of fashion design and serve as an educational tool.
Türkiye earthquakes – how is the fashion supply chain impacted?
Türkiye, a major fashion sourcing destination for global brands and retailers, has experienced two 7+ magnitude earthquakes today (6 February) as the Istanbul Apparel Exporters Association (IHKIB) tells Just Style exclusively it is trying to determine the potential "effects" on the apparel sector.
Brands urged to take responsibility for garment workers in Sri Lanka
Research by the Clean Clothes Campaign reveals that workers in Sri Lanka have not been receiving the Emergency Relief Allowances meant to alleviate the country’s current economic crisis.
Nike faces shareholder proposal over supply chain human rights concerns
Activist shareholder platform Tulipshare has released a shareholder proposal requesting a report from Nike on whether its policies are adequate in meeting its stated equity goals and human rights commitments.
Boohoo reportedly ‘demanding’ 10% supplier discount to cut costs
UK online fashion retailer Boohoo is reportedly demanding a 10% discount from its suppliers in a move aimed at cutting costs.
Shein makes $70m commitment to empowering supply chain workers
Shein is allocating an additional sum of $55m to the Supplier Community Empowerment Program (SCEP) initiated last year with an investment of $15m to “support and empower” its third–party manufacturing suppliers, their workers, and families.
EU circular textiles strategy puts Europe fashion sector at risk
The European Parliament adopts recommendations for the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles today (1 June), however the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (Euratex) argues it could push Europe out of the fashion market.
Temu, Shein leveraging online shipment loophole to evade forced labour checks – US report
Chinese ultra-fast fashion brand Shein has rejected claims made in a US Committee report - which also alleged its competitor Temu - leverage an online shipment loophole that does not require forced labour screening.
Reebok-owner Authentic rescues Rockport out of bankruptcy
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), the global brand development, marketing, and entertainment platform, has secured approval for the acquisition of Rockport, a US footwear brand.
Stitch Fix confirms UK exit, result of macroeconomic climate
San Francisco-based online personal styling service, Stitch Fix has announced it will be leaving the UK market due to the change in the macroeconomic environment.
Signal: Next’s FatFace acquisition would be a win-win
Industry onlookers have conceded a takeover of UK High Street brand FatFace by Next Plc would be a win-win situation where both parties would benefit from significant growth.
Signal: Sycamore Partners’ financial firepower will fuel Chico’s FAS growth
Last week, US private equity powerhouse Sycamore Partners announced it was acquiring US womenswear and accessories retailer Chico’s FAS Inc, a move that “made sense” to industry onlookers.
Why Bangladesh unrest is nothing for fashion buyers to worry about
International fashion buyers can place orders in Bangladesh with confidence as all factories are open and any unrest last week was limited to a few pockets of activity, writes Denim Expert Limited managing director and Bangladesh Apparel Exchange CEO Mostafiz Uddin.
Regatta refutes ‘forced labour’ claims after ‘Chinese prison ID’ found in coat
British outdoor brand Regatta tells Just Style it "refutes the implication it has used forced prison labour" following claims a UK customer found a Chinese prisoner ID card inside the sleeve of a new coat.
US apparel sector issues caution over new US-China relationship proposal
The US apparel sector has warned bipartisan recommendations for the US to reset its economic relationship with China could signal a new "economic Cold War" and lead to higher costs for both fashion companies and consumers.
Fashion supply chain sustainability, ethics processes ‘set for failure’
Following the launch of the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA)'s latest Corporate Human Rights Benchmark and Gender Benchmark, social transformation lead Namit Agarwal told Just Style the fashion supply chain process is "set for failure" as suppliers are not meeting sustainability teams' expectations.
