Carbon Closet Blog

The Carbon Closet Chronicle: The January Edit

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.

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

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

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

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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2026-01-30 12:00 Monthly Round-Up