A cutting-edge digital platform, Fashtrax, developed by the Textiles Transparency Team at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Fashion Institute (MFITT), is set to transform compliance and sustainability efforts across the UK fashion and textile industry.
The tool, backed by the £5.4 million InterAct programme part of the Made Smarter Innovation initiative and supported by the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), aims to streamline the often-overwhelming process of regulatory compliance for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With complex and evolving global standards, including the upcoming EU Digital Product Passport (DPP), Fashtrax is poised to become a critical resource in ensuring transparency, sustainability, and competitiveness in the UK’s fashion supply chain.
A New Era of Compliance and Innovation
Fashtrax integrates over 100 regulations and 40 environmental standards, drawing from the UKRI-funded Legi-Standards database project. At the heart of the platform is the Compliance Navigator, an intelligent diagnostic tool that delivers customized compliance recommendations based on variables such as business size, product category, and supply chain scope. While currently under development, the Compliance Navigator is slated for pilot testing with 20 industry partners this summer and a full public release in late 2025.
Fashtrax is designed to simplify compliance in a complex world. With regulation coming from all angles especially around sustainability many SMEs struggle to keep up. This platform offers them clear, actionable guidance that levels the playing field.
Julie Hodson, MFITT co-lead
Empowering UK Fashion Businesses
Fashtrax is not just a compliance tool it’s a strategic resource for futureproofing the UK fashion sector. The platform connects academia, industry, and technology providers to address real-world challenges through collaboration and innovation.
“This is about embedding transparency and innovation into the core of UK fashion. Fashtrax supports brands in adapting quickly and cost-effectively to regulatory change, while enabling them to stay competitive in a global digital economy.”
Dr. Hilde Heim, MFITT founder and co-lead of the project
Fashtrax also reinforces MFITT’s leadership in supply chain transparency research as part of the SAFE research group, and is already influencing education, industry policy, and international collaboration. Plans are in motion to develop a consumer-facing version of the platform, further extending its impact.
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