On 20 April, we hosted a roundtable with the Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, Emily Thornberry MP and her team member Bill Esterson MP.

Last week, H&M came under fire after Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams was unveiled as their ‘Global Sustainability Ambassador’. And although this may sound like a step in the right direction for the fashion giant, many sustainability experts have called out the brand for greenwashing, believing their tactical use of celebrity clout will merely fuel consumption-driven culture.

In recent years, Depop has been praised for its contribution to sustainable and circular fashion. It has popularised the quick resale of used clothing, and promoted the act of shopping second-hand. Unfortunately, a rise in instances of hacking and harassment on the app has brought about new concerns over the safety of its users.

As China retaliates against transatlantic sanctions over the Xinjiang region, Western fashion brands are torn between Chinese boycott threats and the human rights concerns raised by governments and investors.

The PM announced last night that the next step of the reopening roadmap, step 2, can take place as planned on 12 April.

With non-essential retail set to re-open next month, Meg Pirie takes a look at the plethora of issues facing the charity shop sector. From the waning quality of donations and influx of loungewear, to an anticipated £10bn funding shortfall, shop closures and 60,0000 job losses due to Covid.

As Fashion Roundtable seeks evidence for their policy paper on 'Cleaning Up Fashion’, this latest session focused specifically on the Uighur Crisis and the broader issues of labour exploitation, modern slavery, opaque global value chains and the legislative action that the Government and Firms in the UK can take to mitigate suffering in Xinjiang.

"London has always been a torchbearer and champion of the brightest young talent, acting as a springboard for a huge portion of the world’s most talented designers to grow and become international names. But now as we look to the future and a return to a new normal, we must safeguard and support our young talent..."

Amy Nguyen, Founder and Editor of Sustainable & Social, explores the current fashion gaming landscape and weighs in on its power to encourage sustainable practices. Through recent brand case studies and a discussion with fashion innovation specialist Marta Waydel, she examines the nexus between gamification and sustainability commitments.

Loungewear experienced a 322% increase in sales, after the first lockdown. But it’s occasionwear that is forecasted to rise exponentially. In fact, the State of Fashion 2021 Report suggests that categorically speaking, occasionwear will see the swiftest post-pandemic recovery.

Ultimately, the pandemic has gendered consequences, and industries must work harder to remove new and pre-existing barriers women face in the workplace. A damaging #shecession is avoidable if women are represented and invested in.