How the fashion industry in the UK is embracing sustainable packaging

What is the connection between fashion and sustainable packaging?  

As the value of investing in the planet becomes more evident, fashion and sustainability have become increasingly connected.  

Although the fashion market is a notorious contributor to worldwide waste and unsustainable materials, there has been a marked shift in recent years.  

Consumers are swapping fast fashion for more sustainable fashion brands, supporting designers who value a circular economy, environmentally friendly packaging, and garments that last.  

And the fashion world is starting to listen. According to a 2024 AquaPak report, at least 83% of fashion brands and retailers surveyed in the UK, US, and Australia have already implemented some degree of sustainable packaging.  

Of course, there’s still some way to go. Fashion businesses listed pain points like uncertainty about plastic disposal and accessibility of sustainable materials as some of the biggest barriers.  

But, growing interest in fashion packaging innovation is promising. From London Fashion Week to the Met Gala, the fashion industry is quite the trendsetter — could it do the same for packaging?  

Are you looking for a sustainable packaging partner? Sourceful works with fashion brands to develop a packaging strategy that aligns with sustainability goals. Contact us today.

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The UK fashion brands embracing the sustainable packaging revolution

According to the OECD, 40% of plastic waste originates from packaging and 11% from clothing and textiles. Which isn’t a good look for the fashion industry.  

The sustainable packaging movement aims to provide an alternative to unsustainable wrapping, partially addressing this issue.

Fashion brands championing sustainable packaging usually use environmentally friendly and ethically sourced materials while supporting a circular economy.  

According to the AquaPak report, which spoke to 100 board directors and fashion executives, bioplastics are currently the most popular material among those surveyed, while 57% also used paperboard.  

A growing number of fashion brands in the UK are adopting materials such as recycled mailer bags and FSC-certified cardboard boxes. Here are some key players:  

• Finisterre: UK-based sustainable fashion company Finisterre creates men’s and women’s clothing for those who love the outdoors. As well as using sustainable materials in their designs, they’re also committed to sustainable packaging.  

Finisterre implemented a multi-pronged packaging approach, optimising materials, package size, and weight. The brand uses 100% recycled FSC-certified lightweight paper for its mailer bags, which cut material usage by 70% and 50% weight compared to their old designs.  

In 2019, Finisterre also introduced its biodegradable Leave No Trace garment bags made from a polymer resin called Polyvinylalcohol (PVOH). This, Finisterre claims, is a non-toxic alternative to traditional plastic that quickly breaks down without leaving harmful microplastics.  

• Hylo Athletics: This UK athleticwear brand has built sustainability into its core values. Hylo invested in glassine packaging bags that are plastic-free and durable, making the material perfect for its athletic wear and shoe deliveries.  

Glassine bags are slightly transparent and could be mistaken for plastic, but they’re actually manufactured from FSC-certified paper, meaning they’re biodegradable. The sports brand's transition to sustainable packaging reduced its carbon emissions by 29%.  

What makes Hylo stand out is also its honest approach to sustainability. The B Corp certified business admitted it wasn’t perfect, and sometimes had to rely on fossil fuels to make its products. However, its sustainable packaging has helped Hylo Athletics establish a solid foundation for future environmental initiatives.  

• Stella McCartney: Stella McCartney proves that the designer fashion industry can (and should) also do its bit for the planet. The luxury fashion brand is constantly improving its packaging materials and uses FSC-certified and recycled paper for its bags. In addition, the brand committed to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy, pledging all its plastic will be recycled, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.

Sustainable packaging isn’t just about the materials. Brands can also back circular economy practices to help reduce waste in alternative ways.  

An example is Stella McCartney’s participation in Fashion for Good’s polybag pilot scheme. The initiative involved collecting polybag waste from customers before sending it to recycling, helping to close the loop on unnecessary packaging waste.  

• HERA: Launched in 2015, HERA has become a hugely popular casualwear brand with impressive sustainability credentials and celebrity clientele to match. Through its partnership with Sourceful, the brand developed an advanced mailer bag that’s 80 microns thick and made of 98% GRS-certified recycled plastic.

The design allowed HERA to align its packaging with sustainability goals without compromising on the luxury look and feel of its mailer bags.  

As a result of the partnership, HERA didn’t have to worry about sourcing third-party designers or logistics partners. We helped them at every step, ensuring their finished packaging design was kind to the planet and 100% on-brand.

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The transition to net zero for fashion brands in the UK

Embracing eco-friendly clothing packaging is one of many crucial steps fashion brands can adopt while working toward net zero targets.  

Transitioning to sustainable packaging doesn’t have to be difficult, either, and it can also lead to cost savings later on.

Ready to embrace sustainability in packaging? Here are some quick packaging tips specifically designed for fashion brands.  

1. Identify the most impactful materials  

There’s a growing market of sustainable materials that all offer unique packaging benefits. Biodegradable moulds made from mycelium and bioplastics made from sugar cane are just some examples, highlighting the impressive pace of innovation in packaging.  

Before transitioning to sustainable packaging, perform a packaging audit to identify areas where your packaging needs the most improvement. Create prototypes and designs from various sustainable materials to see which best aligns with your brand image as well as garments, and test packaging designs before a wider rollout to ensure durability.  

2. Understand your customers’ needs

Just because your packaging is made with recyclable materials doesn’t always mean it’ll be recycled. Sometimes, recycling instructions are unclear, and mixed-material components make recycling processes difficult.  

According to a 2022 study, 88% of consumers want brands to help them live more environmentally friendly lives. Empower your customers by offering clearer recycling instructions on packaging and sharing the specifics about packaging materials.  

To enhance traceability, consider adding a QR code that directs customers to details about the materials, sourcing, and manufacturing of your packaging.

You could also offer take-back and recycling schemes that accept packaging and old items, enabling customers to do their part. This is important because of the rise of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programmes, which require brands to take responsibility for post-consumer waste.  

3. Partner with a sustainable packaging specialist  

The best way to develop sustainable packaging is to partner with an expert team that knows their stuff.  

These organisations have a wealth of knowledge about evolving packaging trends, material developments, and how to streamline the packaging transition.  

Look for a packaging partner who shares your commitment to the planet and has a solid reputation for working with other fashion brands.  

At Sourceful, we’ve worked with a number of leading fashion brands to elevate their sustainable packaging offerings. Want to know more? Speak to our team today.

4. Focus on re-use  

A key focus of a circular economy is preventing perfectly good materials from being thrown away. By creating a luxury packaging experience emphasising quality, you can encourage customers to keep your packaging for further use instead of sending it to landfills.

If your fashion brand also sells jewellery and accessories, consider shipping items in boxes that include custom yet removable custom inserts. This way, you can create an impactful unboxing experience, and customers can take inserts out to re-use the high-quality packaging later.  

The same applies to recycled mailer bags. Provide information on how customers can open their packages to keep the bags intact. Consider including another adhesive strip so customers can use the same bag in case of returns.  

5. Embrace transparency  

In an ideal world, plastic packaging would be a thing of the past. However, this material is ingrained in most of our lives and even beneficial in some industries, such as health care.  

In terms of packaging, different types of plastic have varying impacts on our planet. Some are easier to recycle than others, while some products need a certain level of protection best delivered from plastic. Basically, we know how complex it can feel to transition to something more sustainable.  

Championing transparency in your operations can help build trust among your customers and ensure accountability. Share regular reporting about your plastic packaging footprint, and set up a dedicated ‘sustainability’ page which details all the facts and figures related to your packaging journey.  

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The Future of Sustainable Packaging in the UK Fashion Industry

The future of fashion looks hopeful. Thanks to emerging packaging developments and material innovations, the industry has the potential to set the bar for sustainability in retail.  

At the same time, however, we know there is still a lot of work to be done. More than a third of retailers admitted in the AquaPak survey that there was room for improvement even though they’d started implementing sustainable materials.  

There’s no better time to start exploring sustainable packaging in fashion than now. As we prepare for this year’s summer sales, Black Friday offers and big fashion events, why not make sustainable packaging part of your 2024 strategy?  

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Speak to our packaging experts today to kickstart your custom, sustainable packaging journey.

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