Four years ago, the British Fashion Council (BFC) secured government funding for an ambitious sustainability project: helping the small businesses that make up the bulk of the British fashion industry tackle decarbonization.

It’s one of fashion’s most urgent — and complicated — challenges, but most of the 75 London-based brands taking part did so without a dedicated sustainability team. The goal was to help even the most time-poor, cash-strapped businesses measure their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and develop credible plans to reduce them, says Shailja Dubé, deputy director of the BFC’s Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF).

“The businesses we worked with range from having one person to 10, so they cover micro-enterprises as well as SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises],” she explains. “We set up the program to support that scale, where there are very few people on the team and they need to run the business as well as learning all of this and tackling the literal burning issue of climate change.” For many of the businesses involved, this was the first time they had calculated their carbon footprint. On average, the Low Carbon Transition (LCT) program will help them deliver a 25% reduction in emissions by 2030, Dubé adds.

To mark the end of the program, the IPF has published “The Low Carbon Transition Guide”. It was designed as a practical toolkit to scale the learnings. Mirroring the program, it walks brands through the basics of fashion’s impact on the climate, material choice as the biggest emissions lever, how to work with suppliers, reducing shipping emissions, lower impact events and marketing, how to comply with regulations and reporting requirements, circular business models, and communications.

This is a more holistic approach to decarbonization, says Dubé, noting that larger brands might focus more specifically on supply chain emissions, electrification and renewable energy, while small brands tend to have less oversight of this part of the supply chain. “People can be very purist about decarbonization, but we can’t approach this in one dimension,” she says. “The goal was to raise awareness and help creative directors understand where their carbon hotspots were, and how different business decisions could address those hotspots — some of which was quite low-hanging fruit.”

Where larger brands might co-fund decarbonization with their suppliers, use AI to identify decarbonization opportunities, or help next-gen material innovators reach commercial scale, SMEs rarely have the resources to make such sweeping investments, says Dubé. “Take the transition to low-impact materials — that is hindered by minimum order quantities, which affect SMEs considerably. There are infrastructure gaps and investment inertia. At the same time, SMEs have more agility than their larger counterparts, so they can adopt new practices faster.”

Here, six creative directors share their key learnings from the decarbonization program, and the most transformative changes they made in the process.

Patrick McDowell

Founder and creative director, Patrick McDowell

The best part of the project was allowing us to understand the bigger picture, which gave us the tools to understand where we were and how we could adjust. It was really interesting to understand our impact as a whole, but also as individual garments.

Understanding that the main impact of a garment is through its materials, we were able to see clearly how fabrics add to the carbon emissions of the garment. We realized that silk has a much higher impact than other fabrics we use. I personally didn’t realize how some natural fibers fared in terms of carbon emissions, which brought up issues around reporting needing to be more nuanced and holistic, but we diversified our material pool after this. Now, we include lower impact materials like cotton and viscose, too.

Jennifer Droguett

Creative director, Anciela

We embedded the LCT plan into our circular business strategy from 2024 to 2030 to [...] strengthen our sustainability practices. In terms of materials, we stopped producing and buying recycled synthetic fabrics and now focus only on natural ones. We transitioned from 50% use of deadstock or rescued materials to 90% (the final 10% comprises certified fibers such as surplus Tencel, Irish hemp, linen, and recycled cotton and wool, with the option of natural dyes).

In terms of waste, we develop zero and low-waste patterns to create adaptable garments that can be styled and worn in multiple ways, promoting longevity and extending the life and value of each piece. We have started rolling out a take-back and refresh scheme for all our products. Prioritizing quality over quantity, we also now offer made-to-order and bespoke services to help eliminate overproduction. We also installed solar panels with sodium batteries at our studio, reducing our operational footprint through self-generated power. We have generated 2,624 kWh since we installed them in December 2025. Now, we have transitioned from being an energy importer to an energy exporter.

Marco Mastrorilli

Production and operations manager, Bella Freud

Being part of a cohort of brands at different stages, all working through the same challenges, was genuinely valuable — you get perspectives you wouldn’t find in your own industry bubble. And for a small brand like Bella Freud, access to experts like Tom Berry [founder of TB Sustainability Advisory and former global director of sustainable business at Farfetch] and platforms like Seedling [carbon accounting software] simply wouldn’t be possible without the BFC. That kind of practical, tailored guidance is what makes sustainability actionable rather than aspirational.

The program was also open to professionals across all functions. I came at it from a supply chain perspective, and having marketers, designers, and operations people in the same room made every workshop richer. Sustainability isn’t one department’s responsibility — and the LCT program was built around that understanding.

Kyle Ho

Founder and creative director, Kyle Ho

As a brand, we have always been interested in craftsmanship, longevity, and the dialogue between traditional tailoring and experimental construction. The program encouraged us to examine how these creative decisions translate into environmental impact, and view decarbonization as a design challenge, rather than simply a sourcing challenge. It made us realize that some of the most significant opportunities to reduce carbon emissions occur long before a garment enters production.

One of the most meaningful changes has been in our approach to collection development. Rather than measuring success by the number of new styles each season, we are increasingly focused on designing garments with permanence, purpose, and longevity. Every piece must earn its place within the collection through its craftsmanship, relevance, and the ability to endure beyond a single season. This shift has encouraged a more disciplined design process. The challenge is not simply to make products differently, but to create products that are worthy of being kept, repaired, and worn for years.

Maria Grachvogel

Founder and creative director, Maria Grachvogel

The most transformative change for our business was introducing a much more rigorous approach to measuring and tracking our carbon impact. Having clear data gave us greater visibility across the business and helped us identify where we could make meaningful improvements, from sourcing lower carbon fabric options and reviewing shipping choices to examining operational decisions that we had previously taken for granted. What became particularly clear was how broad the carbon footprint of a fashion business really is. Every decision has an impact, from raw materials and production through to marketing, logistics, and professional services.

Over the two years we measured, we increased production volumes by approximately 50% while reducing our overall carbon footprint by 13%, demonstrating that growth and carbon reduction do not have to be mutually exclusive when decisions are informed by data. As a slow fashion brand that already produces largely to order, the program also reinforced the importance of extending responsibility beyond the point of sale. We are now applying the same measurement-led approach to our repairs program and developing circular services that help keep garments in use for longer.

Penelope Tucker

Founder and creative director, Moma Hilo

As a brand built around adjustable garments designed to evolve with the wearer, longevity has always been central to our approach. The program encouraged me to think more holistically about a garment’s lifecycle and provided practical examples of how brands can keep products in use for longer, creating value for both customers and the environment. Rather than changing my view on local manufacturing, the program reinforced it. Moma Hilo was built around deadstock fabrics and London-based production, because I believed those choices could have a positive environmental impact. The program helped quantify that belief, providing the tools and data to better understand, measure, and communicate the impact of our decisions as the business grows.

More broadly, the program highlighted the role that small and medium-sized brands can play in driving change across the industry. Independent businesses are often closer to their customers and supply chains, which puts us in a powerful position to communicate transparently, educate consumers, and encourage more considered purchasing decisions. Collectively, these small actions have the potential to drive meaningful change across the fashion industry.