Net Zero as a Catalyst in fashion micro and small enterprises: Contributing to a wellbeing economy in the UK

This discussion paper is based on ‘Net Zero as a Catalyst’ (ZAC) research findings exploring fashion design entrepreneurs’ purpose and practices responding to climate, environmental and social justice imperatives.

This ambition - to contribute to their own and wider social, ecological and economic wellbeing (referred to throughout this paper as the “wellbeing economy”) - is changing operational practices and approaches in several areas including; governance, the design, use and value of products and services and the role of creative entrepreneurs.

This report identifies examples of work taking place across these three levels of change that could act as pilots in and beyond the fashion sector. Our findings suggest that efforts to operate more sustainably can encourage an expansion of creativity and business distinction. Likewise, design entrepreneurs who ground their creative practice in the context of the wellbeing economy are developing operational practices that align with that creative ambition; meaning operational(putting their own house in order) and conceptual sustainability (making and influencing change in society) can be mutually reinforcing. This paper explores the opportunities to expand on such examples and to link them to the fashion and sustainability policy landscape. This will also help identify ways to lift the current inhibitors of a UK wide expansion of the contribution the sector can make to sustainability goals, with specific reference to a just transition of the fashion sector to net zero emissions, understood as achieving net zero in ways that are as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind. The report seeks to contribute to shifts in how fashion entrepreneurialism is viewed, by demonstrating the viability of connecting environmental, social and business goals and relating them to sustainability cultures. The recommendations of the paper are aligned to sector and wider environmental policy and industry-related goals with an ambition to inform and accelerate a fashion wellbeing economy.

• https://pec.ac.uk/discussion-papers/net-...