Welcome back to The Carbon Closet Chronicle for January — where we’re kicking off the year with the most important sustainable fashion stories to inspire a cleaner, greener 2026.
From game-changing new laws and policy shifts to brands, innovators, and even celebrities embracing circular and conscious fashion, the year is already gaining momentum. If you’ve been busy, don’t worry — we’ve rounded up the key stories shaping ethical, vegan, and sustainable fashion this month, so you won’t miss a beat.
From game-changing new laws and policy shifts to brands, innovators, and even celebrities embracing circular and conscious fashion, the year is already gaining momentum. If you’ve been busy, don’t worry — we’ve rounded up the key stories shaping ethical, vegan, and sustainable fashion this month, so you won’t miss a beat.
Sweden's "Nothing New" Shopping Mall
- Sweden have opened the world's first shopping centre where nothing sold is new
- Each shop operates alongside a workshop, turning discarded goods into renewed, sellable items
- All items are secondhand, upcycled or repaired and include furniture, clothes & electronics
France Bans PFAS in Clothing
- France has introduced a new law banning the use of PFAS and toxic chemicals in fashion
- The law also requires regular testing of drinking waters to monitor PFAS contamination
- The law aims to protect our environments and bodies from exposure to toxins and microplastic pollution
Re/Done x Kaia Gerber
- Sustainable denim brand Re/Done announce Kaia Gerber as new investor & creative partner
- The model/actress will assist the brand with their advisory board and brand strategy
- Gerber is "excited to help shape what comes next- creating products [that feel] personal and intentional..."
Crack-Down on Serial Fashion Retail Returners
- Fashion brands, including ASOS announce that 2026 will come with less free returns
- The price of their returns will be dictated by a "personal return rating"
- The brand aims to curb the cost from "serial returners", increasing transparency and reducing carbon mileage
EU Parliament Advancing Tougher Fast-Fashion Rules
- The EU will force fashion brands to make clothes more durable, repairable and recyclable under new ecodesign rules.
- Mandatory Digital Product Passports will disclose verified sustainability data for clothing sold in the EU
- From 2026, brands will be banned from destroying unsold clothing and footwear.
Positive Luxury Awards 2026 Open for Nominations
- Luxury and fashion brands can now apply for sustainability-focused Positive Luxury Awards, signalling growing emphasis on ESG leadership and supply-chain recognition.
Harry Styles leads sustainable fashion visibility
- Icon Harry Styles embraces vintage/sustainable designers ahead of album release — raising awareness among global audiences.
New Zealand Pushes for Cruelty-Free Cosmetics
- New Zealand has recognised all animals as sentient beings and banned all animal testing for cosmetics
2025 Ocean Clean-up Success
- The ocean cleanup decared that they have removed over 25M KG of waste from rivers and oceans in 2025 alone.
Ricky Gervais Joins the Fight for Animal Rights
- Ricky Gervais donates £2.43M to animal charities using proceeds from recent stand-up tour.
Mexico Frees Dolphins from Cruelty and Captivation
- Mexico has banned all forms of dolphin shows and plans to release 350 dolphins back into the ocean
EU shines spotlight on nature restoration
- The EU is enforcing a law that requires nations to actively restore nature, not just protect it
Lucy & Yak Join Fair Wear
- Sustainable fashion brand Lucy & Yak recently became proud members of the Fair Wear society
Costa Rica on track for a cleaner 2026
- Costa Rica will now be powered by 100% renewable energy all year round
The UK's Biggest Ever Wind Power Deal
- The UK has recently secured it's biggest ever offshore wind deal, enough to power 12 million homes (roughly 4 in10 houses) with greener energy.
Lucy & Yak Celebrate Opening of New Store
- Lucy & Yak's new outlet store in Portsmouth will support the sale of their classic sustainable items, alongside pre-loved and Re:yakked (slightly imperfect) items
Kering & Pandora Lead Fashion Sustainability
- Kering and Pandora are the only fashion brands named in Corporate Knights’ Global 100 most sustainable companies.
GlobeScan/Zalando Research: Consumer Expectation for Government Action
- European consumers now explicitly expect national/EU policy support (eco-labels, repair infrastructure, reduced VAT on sustainable fashion) to accelerate industry decarbonisation.
FashionNetwork’s 2026 Trend Report Highlights Sustainability as Central Business Theme
- 2026 trend calendars reveal sustainability’s commercial prominence across textiles and high value fashion.
Broader Fashion Industry Moves in 2026
- Fashion industry roundups show sustainability themes across brand collaborations, creative growth, and notable collections — including Stella McCartney’s sustainable efforts and other brand highlights.
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