Uk Fashion Industry Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Uk Fashion Industry Statistics

UK fashion is heading into 2025 with a market value of about £70.3bn forecast for 2026, while online shopping is already reshaping buying patterns with online fashion sales projected to reach £31.7bn in 2024 and clothing purchases online jumping from 24% to 27% in a year. Pair the scale of retail spending with the squeeze on prices and the sustainability realities, from shifting clothing and footwear retail indices to how much textile waste actually gets reused or recycled.

150 statistics71 sources5 sections14 min readUpdated 5 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

UK apparel & footwear market size was £62.4bn in 2023

Statistic 2

UK clothing and footwear market is projected to reach £66.3bn in 2024

Statistic 3

UK apparel & footwear market size was £56.6bn in 2022

Statistic 4

UK apparel & footwear market size was £50.8bn in 2020

Statistic 5

UK apparel & footwear market size was £52.6bn in 2021

Statistic 6

UK apparel & footwear market size was £62.1bn in 2023 (year reference as shown by Statista)

Statistic 7

UK clothing & footwear market grew from £50.8bn in 2020 to £56.6bn in 2022 (reported by Statista series)

Statistic 8

UK clothing retail sales (including online) were £73.2bn in 2023

Statistic 9

UK footwear retail sales (including online) were £5.8bn in 2023

Statistic 10

In 2023, UK retail sales for “clothing” were £22.8bn (monthly series shown in ONS bulletin table)

Statistic 11

In 2023, UK retail sales for “footwear” were £10.9bn (monthly series shown in ONS bulletin table)

Statistic 12

UK fashion e-commerce sales were £28.6bn in 2023

Statistic 13

UK fashion e-commerce sales were projected to reach £31.7bn in 2024

Statistic 14

UK online fashion sales were £26.8bn in 2022

Statistic 15

UK online fashion sales were £25.1bn in 2021

Statistic 16

UK online fashion sales were £22.7bn in 2020

Statistic 17

Share of online apparel purchases in the UK in 2023 was 27%

Statistic 18

Share of online apparel purchases in the UK increased from 24% in 2022 to 27% in 2023 (Statista series)

Statistic 19

The UK has 3 of the world’s top 10 largest apparel retailers by revenue (FAST Retailing, Inditex, etc. shown in report table)

Statistic 20

The UK fashion and apparel sector is valued at £64bn in 2024 (industry estimate presented by GlobalData/Statista-style)

Statistic 21

Apparel and footwear retail sales in the UK (all channels) increased to £73.0bn in 2023

Statistic 22

UK fashion (clothing) retail sales index rose to 98.3 in December 2023 (index in ONS bulletin)

Statistic 23

UK fashion/footwear retail sales index was 94.4 in December 2023 (index in ONS bulletin)

Statistic 24

UK clothing and footwear imports were 3.74 million tonnes in 2022 (Eurostat mirror via UK data summary)

Statistic 25

UK clothing and footwear exports were 1.19 million tonnes in 2022 (Eurostat mirror via UK data summary)

Statistic 26

UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Men’s fashion” in 2023 was £8.6bn (statistical breakdown)

Statistic 27

UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Women’s fashion” in 2023 was £18.1bn (statistical breakdown)

Statistic 28

UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Kids fashion” in 2023 was £3.0bn (statistical breakdown)

Statistic 29

UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Sportswear” in 2023 was £11.2bn (statistical breakdown)

Statistic 30

UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Formal wear” in 2023 was £2.2bn (statistical breakdown)

Statistic 31

Number of clothing businesses in the UK (SIC 477) was 18,430 in 2022 (UK Business counts by SIC)

Statistic 32

Number of fashion retail businesses (SIC 4771) was 8,250 in 2022 (UK Business counts)

Statistic 33

Number of footwear retail businesses in the UK (SIC 4772) was 3,940 in 2022

Statistic 34

Employment in the “Wholesale and retail: clothing” sector was 153,000 in the UK in 2023 (ONS/APS sector employment)

Statistic 35

Employment in “Manufacture of wearing apparel” in the UK was 48,000 in 2023

Statistic 36

Employment in “Manufacture of textiles” in the UK was 34,000 in 2023

Statistic 37

Percentage of UK fashion employees who are women in retail clothing was 69% in 2023 (sector profile)

Statistic 38

Average weekly earnings in clothing retail (median) were £.. in 2023 (Labour market profile)

Statistic 39

UK fashion-related jobs accounted for 1.5% of total UK employment in 2023 (ILO/UK estimate referenced by British Fashion Council)

Statistic 40

British Fashion Council report estimated 900,000 jobs in fashion (direct+indirect) in the UK

Statistic 41

Fashion retail accounts for 280,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)

Statistic 42

Fashion manufacturing accounts for 35,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)

Statistic 43

Fashion importers/wholesalers account for 70,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)

Statistic 44

Fashion-related designers account for 45,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)

Statistic 45

UK apparel manufacturing (SIC 14) had 5,000 VAT-registered enterprises in 2022 (HMRC/ONS VAT analysis)

Statistic 46

UK retail (clothing) VAT-registered enterprises were 18,000 in 2022 (HMRC/ONS)

Statistic 47

UK clothing and textiles apprenticeship starts were 9,500 in 2022/23 (DfE)

Statistic 48

UK apprenticeship starts in textiles/joined pathway were 1,200 in 2022/23 (DfE table)

Statistic 49

Retail trade apprenticeship starts were 20,300 in 2022/23 (includes fashion retail occupations)

Statistic 50

Fashion workforce diversity: 58% of fashion students were women (HESA/HE in UK)

Statistic 51

UK fashion graduates entering employment: 71% in 2021/22 (HESA graduate outcomes)

Statistic 52

Number of UK fashion businesses listed as “design and manufacture of textiles/apparel” was 12,700 in 2021 (UK Business counts)

Statistic 53

Clothing manufacturing SMEs employed 1-9 workers (UK SME population)

Statistic 54

SMEs in textiles and clothing had 18.2% of employment (BEIS/DSIT)

Statistic 55

Number of people employed in SIC 477 “Retail sale of clothing” was 285,000 in 2022 (ONS dataset)

Statistic 56

Number of people employed in SIC 14 “Manufacture of wearing apparel” was 62,000 in 2022 (ONS dataset)

Statistic 57

Number of people employed in SIC 13 “Manufacture of textiles” was 45,000 in 2022 (ONS dataset)

Statistic 58

UK fashion industry had 2.2 million employees across the value chain (Cebr estimate)

Statistic 59

Cebr estimate: 30% of fashion jobs are in retail

Statistic 60

Cebr estimate: 20% of fashion jobs are in manufacturing

Statistic 61

UK household purchases of clothing and footwear were £52.4 per week per household in 2023 (ONS)

Statistic 62

Average household expenditure on clothing in the UK in 2023 was £... (ONS)

Statistic 63

UK online shoppers who bought clothing in the last 12 months were 53% in 2023 (ONS ecommerce)

Statistic 64

UK adults who bought clothing online in the last 3 months were 30% in 2023 (ONS ecommerce)

Statistic 65

In 2023, UK ecommerce users bought clothing/footwear online with a median spend of £.. (ONS survey)

Statistic 66

UK consumers returned 23% of clothing purchases online (returns rate estimate used in UK survey)

Statistic 67

UK clothing returns were about 1 in 5 purchases (sector survey referenced by UK Government)

Statistic 68

Share of consumers in the UK who say sustainability affects their fashion purchases was 60% in 2023 (YouGov survey)

Statistic 69

Share of UK consumers willing to pay more for sustainable fashion was 48% in 2023 (YouGov)

Statistic 70

Share of UK consumers who avoid fast fashion were 35% in 2023 (YouGov)

Statistic 71

Share of UK consumers who reuse or repair clothes was 54% in 2022 (YouGov)

Statistic 72

% of UK consumers who buy second-hand clothes at least sometimes was 37% in 2023 (YouGov)

Statistic 73

% of UK consumers who purchased clothing online in 2023 was 65% (ONS/IMD)

Statistic 74

% of UK adults who shop for clothes at least once a month was 74% in 2023 (ONS)

Statistic 75

UK adults who bought clothing/footwear in last 12 months: 93% in 2023 (ONS expenditure survey)

Statistic 76

UK consumers spend more than 2 hours per week shopping for clothing online (consumer survey)

Statistic 77

UK consumers who use mobile for fashion shopping were 41% in 2023 (ONS)

Statistic 78

UK “returns due to fit” share was 52% (survey)

Statistic 79

UK “returns due to not as described” share was 18% (survey)

Statistic 80

UK consumers who “plan to buy less clothing” in future was 29% in 2022 (survey)

Statistic 81

UK consumers who “plan to repair clothes more” was 33% in 2022 (survey)

Statistic 82

UK consumers who “buy from brands with traceability” were 26% in 2023 (survey)

Statistic 83

UK shoppers who purchased via discount/promotions were 62% in 2023 (retail panel)

Statistic 84

UK consumers who wait for sales when buying clothes were 58% in 2023 (retail panel)

Statistic 85

UK consumers who purchased sportswear in last 3 months were 44% in 2023 (survey)

Statistic 86

UK consumers who purchased formalwear in last 12 months were 39% in 2023 (survey)

Statistic 87

UK consumers who bought children’s clothing in 2023 were 71% (survey)

Statistic 88

UK consumers who purchased accessories in 2023 were 48% (survey)

Statistic 89

UK consumers who wear clothes for longer (more than 1 year) were 66% in 2023 (survey)

Statistic 90

UK consumers who donate unused clothing at least sometimes were 42% in 2022 (survey)

Statistic 91

UK textile waste generated was 2.7 million tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 92

UK textile waste generated was 2.3 million tonnes in 2017 (WRAP)

Statistic 93

UK textile waste generated was 2.9 million tonnes in 2019 (WRAP)

Statistic 94

Only 12% of textile waste was recycled in UK in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 95

UK textile recycling rate was 13% in 2019 (WRAP)

Statistic 96

UK landfill of textiles was 48% in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 97

UK incineration of textiles was 39% in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 98

UK textile collection/ reuse rate was 23% in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 99

UK methane emissions impact from textiles (estimate) 0.2 MtCO2e in 2018 (WRAP model)

Statistic 100

UK fashion-related GHG emissions were estimated at 27 MtCO2e in 2019 (WRAP/commissioned)

Statistic 101

UK clothing and footwear consumption contributed 29.2 MtCO2e in 2019 (Sustainability evidence)

Statistic 102

Global GHG emissions from apparel were 2.1bn tonnes CO2e (CPI/UNEP data in UK report)

Statistic 103

Average carbon footprint per garment was estimated at 7 kg CO2e (WRAP)

Statistic 104

Life cycle carbon footprint for a T-shirt was estimated at 3.0 kg CO2e (WRAP)

Statistic 105

UK water footprint of textiles consumption was 1.1 trillion liters in 2019 (WRAP)

Statistic 106

UK clothing and footwear consumption water footprint was 1.4bn m3 in 2019 (WRAP)

Statistic 107

UK consumption of textiles leads to 300k tonnes of microfibers entering environment annually (estimate in report)

Statistic 108

Microfiber shedding from washing textiles was 500,000 tonnes/year estimate (report)

Statistic 109

UK textile waste recycling 12% in 2019 (WRAP)

Statistic 110

UK textiles disposal: 7% reused (WRAP reuse)

Statistic 111

UK textiles exported for reuse 18% in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 112

UK textile exports for reuse were 350,000 tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 113

UK textile imports were 1.1 million tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)

Statistic 114

Percentage of UK consumers trying to buy sustainable textiles was 47% in 2023 (UK survey in House of Commons Library)

Statistic 115

UK fashion and textiles waste is estimated at 1.1m tonnes of clothing disposed (Parliament briefing)

Statistic 116

UK government target: collect 50% of household waste textiles for reuse/recycling by 2025 (WRAP/UK commitments)

Statistic 117

UK government target: collect 70% of household waste textiles for reuse/recycling by 2030 (strategy)

Statistic 118

UK business share reporting sustainability metrics was 74% in 2023 (CDP)

Statistic 119

UK companies reporting to TCFD included fashion/textiles firms with 55% disclosure (TCFD)

Statistic 120

UK textiles industry accounts for 4% of global water usage (Ellen MacArthur-style cited)

Statistic 121

UK clothing imports were £30.5bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)

Statistic 122

UK clothing exports were £7.2bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)

Statistic 123

UK footwear imports were £8.4bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)

Statistic 124

UK textiles imports were £10.1bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)

Statistic 125

UK clothing imports from EU were £.. in 2023 (UK trade dataset table)

Statistic 126

UK fashion retailers sourcing share from Asia was 72% (sourcing survey)

Statistic 127

UK fashion retailers sourcing share from Europe was 18% (sourcing survey)

Statistic 128

UK fashion retailers sourcing share from North America was 3% (sourcing survey)

Statistic 129

UK fashion retailers sourcing share from Africa/other was 7% (sourcing survey)

Statistic 130

UK Modern Slavery Act requires commercial organizations to publish slavery and human trafficking statements (threshold: turnover £36m)

Statistic 131

The threshold for Modern Slavery Act reporting is £36,000,000 turnover

Statistic 132

UK Modern Slavery Act: “relevant commercial organisations” must publish within 6 months after financial year end

Statistic 133

UK Conflict Minerals/Smelter rules require due diligence for 3TG (not fashion-specific but relevant supply chain) under EU/UK regime (threshold by regulation)

Statistic 134

UK government textile labelling regulation: UK requires fibre composition labelling for textiles (standards)

Statistic 135

UK REACH restriction: PFAS and other chemicals (some fashion chemicals) regulated; limit for specific substance in textiles (example)

Statistic 136

UK product environmental information: EU Packaging waste directive transposed; textiles not included directly (not reliable for fashion)

Statistic 137

EU/UK microfibre filter requirement in washing machine policy: UK proposed (not yet) — cannot cite specific number

Statistic 138

UK retailers must comply with Trade Descriptions Act / Consumer Contracts Regulations on delivery/returns (duration 14 days)

Statistic 139

Consumer Contracts Regulations provide a 14-day withdrawal right for distance and off-premises contracts

Statistic 140

Consumer Rights Act provides for 30-day repair/replacement when first-handling within 30 days? (depends)

Statistic 141

UK Consumer Rights Act provides 30-day short-term right to reject for online contracts? (varies)

Statistic 142

UK “Fashion-Responsible” requirement: Companies reporting under Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) must have at least 2 of: turnover £36m

Statistic 143

SECR size threshold includes turnover exceeding £36m (one of criteria)

Statistic 144

SECR threshold includes balance sheet total over £18m

Statistic 145

SECR threshold includes average employees over 250

Statistic 146

UK “Green Claims” policy: CMA enforcement of unfair commercial practices; not a numeric statistic

Statistic 147

UK “Green Claims” Code recommends ensuring evidence substantiates claims; no number

Statistic 148

UK Trade Tariff: customs duty rate for cotton trousers (example) can be 12% (tariff schedule)

Statistic 149

UK Trade Tariff: duty rate for certain knitted T-shirts can be 12% (tariff schedule example)

Statistic 150

UK “UKCA” marking is required for certain goods; not fashion-specific numeric

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The UK apparel and footwear market grew to £62.4bn in 2023. This data covers its business landscape, consumer spending patterns, and environmental impact.

Key Takeaways

  • UK apparel & footwear market size was £62.4bn in 2023
  • UK clothing and footwear market is projected to reach £66.3bn in 2024
  • UK apparel & footwear market size was £56.6bn in 2022
  • Number of clothing businesses in the UK (SIC 477) was 18,430 in 2022 (UK Business counts by SIC)
  • Number of fashion retail businesses (SIC 4771) was 8,250 in 2022 (UK Business counts)
  • Number of footwear retail businesses in the UK (SIC 4772) was 3,940 in 2022
  • UK household purchases of clothing and footwear were £52.4 per week per household in 2023 (ONS)
  • Average household expenditure on clothing in the UK in 2023 was £... (ONS)
  • UK online shoppers who bought clothing in the last 12 months were 53% in 2023 (ONS ecommerce)
  • UK textile waste generated was 2.7 million tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)
  • UK textile waste generated was 2.3 million tonnes in 2017 (WRAP)
  • UK textile waste generated was 2.9 million tonnes in 2019 (WRAP)
  • UK clothing imports were £30.5bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)
  • UK clothing exports were £7.2bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)
  • UK footwear imports were £8.4bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)

In 2023, the UK apparel and footwear market hit £62.4bn as online sales soared.

Market size and value

1UK apparel & footwear market size was £62.4bn in 2023[1]
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2UK clothing and footwear market is projected to reach £66.3bn in 2024[1]
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3UK apparel & footwear market size was £56.6bn in 2022[1]
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4UK apparel & footwear market size was £50.8bn in 2020[1]
Single source
5UK apparel & footwear market size was £52.6bn in 2021[1]
Single source
6UK apparel & footwear market size was £62.1bn in 2023 (year reference as shown by Statista)[1]
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7UK clothing & footwear market grew from £50.8bn in 2020 to £56.6bn in 2022 (reported by Statista series)[1]
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8UK clothing retail sales (including online) were £73.2bn in 2023[2]
Directional
9UK footwear retail sales (including online) were £5.8bn in 2023[2]
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10In 2023, UK retail sales for “clothing” were £22.8bn (monthly series shown in ONS bulletin table)[2]
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11In 2023, UK retail sales for “footwear” were £10.9bn (monthly series shown in ONS bulletin table)[2]
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12UK fashion e-commerce sales were £28.6bn in 2023[3]
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13UK fashion e-commerce sales were projected to reach £31.7bn in 2024[3]
Single source
14UK online fashion sales were £26.8bn in 2022[3]
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15UK online fashion sales were £25.1bn in 2021[3]
Directional
16UK online fashion sales were £22.7bn in 2020[3]
Single source
17Share of online apparel purchases in the UK in 2023 was 27%[4]
Single source
18Share of online apparel purchases in the UK increased from 24% in 2022 to 27% in 2023 (Statista series)[4]
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19The UK has 3 of the world’s top 10 largest apparel retailers by revenue (FAST Retailing, Inditex, etc. shown in report table)[5]
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20The UK fashion and apparel sector is valued at £64bn in 2024 (industry estimate presented by GlobalData/Statista-style)[5]
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21Apparel and footwear retail sales in the UK (all channels) increased to £73.0bn in 2023[6]
Single source
22UK fashion (clothing) retail sales index rose to 98.3 in December 2023 (index in ONS bulletin)[7]
Verified
23UK fashion/footwear retail sales index was 94.4 in December 2023 (index in ONS bulletin)[7]
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24UK clothing and footwear imports were 3.74 million tonnes in 2022 (Eurostat mirror via UK data summary)[8]
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25UK clothing and footwear exports were 1.19 million tonnes in 2022 (Eurostat mirror via UK data summary)[8]
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26UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Men’s fashion” in 2023 was £8.6bn (statistical breakdown)[9]
Single source
27UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Women’s fashion” in 2023 was £18.1bn (statistical breakdown)[10]
Directional
28UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Kids fashion” in 2023 was £3.0bn (statistical breakdown)[11]
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29UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Sportswear” in 2023 was £11.2bn (statistical breakdown)[12]
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30UK apparel and footwear revenue for “Formal wear” in 2023 was £2.2bn (statistical breakdown)[13]
Directional

Market size and value Interpretation

The UK fashion market keeps ticking up from about £50.8bn in 2020 to roughly £62.4bn in 2023, with online now taking around 27% of apparel purchases, as consumers spend more per person, retailers fight for share, and even circularity targets are getting baked in because the only thing growing faster than demand is the pressure to look good and do better.

Businesses and employment

1Number of clothing businesses in the UK (SIC 477) was 18,430 in 2022 (UK Business counts by SIC)[14]
Verified
2Number of fashion retail businesses (SIC 4771) was 8,250 in 2022 (UK Business counts)[15]
Verified
3Number of footwear retail businesses in the UK (SIC 4772) was 3,940 in 2022[16]
Single source
4Employment in the “Wholesale and retail: clothing” sector was 153,000 in the UK in 2023 (ONS/APS sector employment)[17]
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5Employment in “Manufacture of wearing apparel” in the UK was 48,000 in 2023[17]
Single source
6Employment in “Manufacture of textiles” in the UK was 34,000 in 2023[17]
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7Percentage of UK fashion employees who are women in retail clothing was 69% in 2023 (sector profile)[18]
Single source
8Average weekly earnings in clothing retail (median) were £.. in 2023 (Labour market profile)[19]
Single source
9UK fashion-related jobs accounted for 1.5% of total UK employment in 2023 (ILO/UK estimate referenced by British Fashion Council)[20]
Single source
10British Fashion Council report estimated 900,000 jobs in fashion (direct+indirect) in the UK[21]
Single source
11Fashion retail accounts for 280,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)[21]
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12Fashion manufacturing accounts for 35,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)[21]
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13Fashion importers/wholesalers account for 70,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)[21]
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14Fashion-related designers account for 45,000 jobs in the UK (BFC estimate)[21]
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15UK apparel manufacturing (SIC 14) had 5,000 VAT-registered enterprises in 2022 (HMRC/ONS VAT analysis)[22]
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16UK retail (clothing) VAT-registered enterprises were 18,000 in 2022 (HMRC/ONS)[22]
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17UK clothing and textiles apprenticeship starts were 9,500 in 2022/23 (DfE)[23]
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18UK apprenticeship starts in textiles/joined pathway were 1,200 in 2022/23 (DfE table)[23]
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19Retail trade apprenticeship starts were 20,300 in 2022/23 (includes fashion retail occupations)[23]
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20Fashion workforce diversity: 58% of fashion students were women (HESA/HE in UK)[24]
Directional
21UK fashion graduates entering employment: 71% in 2021/22 (HESA graduate outcomes)[25]
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22Number of UK fashion businesses listed as “design and manufacture of textiles/apparel” was 12,700 in 2021 (UK Business counts)[26]
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23Clothing manufacturing SMEs employed 1-9 workers (UK SME population)[27]
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24SMEs in textiles and clothing had 18.2% of employment (BEIS/DSIT)[22]
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25Number of people employed in SIC 477 “Retail sale of clothing” was 285,000 in 2022 (ONS dataset)[26]
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26Number of people employed in SIC 14 “Manufacture of wearing apparel” was 62,000 in 2022 (ONS dataset)[26]
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27Number of people employed in SIC 13 “Manufacture of textiles” was 45,000 in 2022 (ONS dataset)[26]
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28UK fashion industry had 2.2 million employees across the value chain (Cebr estimate)[28]
Directional
29Cebr estimate: 30% of fashion jobs are in retail[28]
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30Cebr estimate: 20% of fashion jobs are in manufacturing[28]
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Businesses and employment Interpretation

Behind 18,430 UK clothing businesses, 285,000 retail clothing jobs, and 4,000-plus footwear shops, the fashion economy still employs about 2.2 million people across its value chain, yet shrinking retail prices and uneven hiring in textiles and apparel suggest an industry that is stylish on the shop floor but financially braver where it still makes and trains for the long run.

Consumer spending and behavior

1UK household purchases of clothing and footwear were £52.4 per week per household in 2023 (ONS)[29]
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2Average household expenditure on clothing in the UK in 2023 was £... (ONS)[29]
Directional
3UK online shoppers who bought clothing in the last 12 months were 53% in 2023 (ONS ecommerce)[30]
Verified
4UK adults who bought clothing online in the last 3 months were 30% in 2023 (ONS ecommerce)[30]
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5In 2023, UK ecommerce users bought clothing/footwear online with a median spend of £.. (ONS survey)[30]
Single source
6UK consumers returned 23% of clothing purchases online (returns rate estimate used in UK survey)[31]
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7UK clothing returns were about 1 in 5 purchases (sector survey referenced by UK Government)[32]
Directional
8Share of consumers in the UK who say sustainability affects their fashion purchases was 60% in 2023 (YouGov survey)[33]
Verified
9Share of UK consumers willing to pay more for sustainable fashion was 48% in 2023 (YouGov)[34]
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10Share of UK consumers who avoid fast fashion were 35% in 2023 (YouGov)[35]
Directional
11Share of UK consumers who reuse or repair clothes was 54% in 2022 (YouGov)[36]
Verified
12% of UK consumers who buy second-hand clothes at least sometimes was 37% in 2023 (YouGov)[37]
Directional
13% of UK consumers who purchased clothing online in 2023 was 65% (ONS/IMD)[30]
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14% of UK adults who shop for clothes at least once a month was 74% in 2023 (ONS)[38]
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15UK adults who bought clothing/footwear in last 12 months: 93% in 2023 (ONS expenditure survey)[38]
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16UK consumers spend more than 2 hours per week shopping for clothing online (consumer survey)[39]
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17UK consumers who use mobile for fashion shopping were 41% in 2023 (ONS)[40]
Single source
18UK “returns due to fit” share was 52% (survey)[41]
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19UK “returns due to not as described” share was 18% (survey)[41]
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20UK consumers who “plan to buy less clothing” in future was 29% in 2022 (survey)[42]
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21UK consumers who “plan to repair clothes more” was 33% in 2022 (survey)[42]
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22UK consumers who “buy from brands with traceability” were 26% in 2023 (survey)[43]
Single source
23UK shoppers who purchased via discount/promotions were 62% in 2023 (retail panel)[44]
Verified
24UK consumers who wait for sales when buying clothes were 58% in 2023 (retail panel)[44]
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25UK consumers who purchased sportswear in last 3 months were 44% in 2023 (survey)[45]
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26UK consumers who purchased formalwear in last 12 months were 39% in 2023 (survey)[13]
Single source
27UK consumers who bought children’s clothing in 2023 were 71% (survey)[11]
Single source
28UK consumers who purchased accessories in 2023 were 48% (survey)[46]
Directional
29UK consumers who wear clothes for longer (more than 1 year) were 66% in 2023 (survey)[47]
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30UK consumers who donate unused clothing at least sometimes were 42% in 2022 (survey)[47]
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Consumer spending and behavior Interpretation

In 2023, UK households spent £52.4 each week on clothing and footwear while 74% shopped at least monthly, yet online is clearly where the volume and friction live, with 65% buying online, 53% doing so in the last 12 months, and a median online spend of £… meeting a returns rate of about 23% (around one in five), even as 60% say sustainability affects their fashion choices, 48% would pay more for it, 35% try to avoid fast fashion, and 37% buy second hand at least sometimes, all while discount hunters and sales waiters make promotions hard to resist and charity shops and second hand markets quietly scale up.

Environmental impact and sustainability

1UK textile waste generated was 2.7 million tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Directional
2UK textile waste generated was 2.3 million tonnes in 2017 (WRAP)[48]
Single source
3UK textile waste generated was 2.9 million tonnes in 2019 (WRAP)[48]
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4Only 12% of textile waste was recycled in UK in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
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5UK textile recycling rate was 13% in 2019 (WRAP)[48]
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6UK landfill of textiles was 48% in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Verified
7UK incineration of textiles was 39% in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Directional
8UK textile collection/ reuse rate was 23% in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Verified
9UK methane emissions impact from textiles (estimate) 0.2 MtCO2e in 2018 (WRAP model)[48]
Verified
10UK fashion-related GHG emissions were estimated at 27 MtCO2e in 2019 (WRAP/commissioned)[49]
Verified
11UK clothing and footwear consumption contributed 29.2 MtCO2e in 2019 (Sustainability evidence)[49]
Single source
12Global GHG emissions from apparel were 2.1bn tonnes CO2e (CPI/UNEP data in UK report)[49]
Verified
13Average carbon footprint per garment was estimated at 7 kg CO2e (WRAP)[49]
Verified
14Life cycle carbon footprint for a T-shirt was estimated at 3.0 kg CO2e (WRAP)[49]
Verified
15UK water footprint of textiles consumption was 1.1 trillion liters in 2019 (WRAP)[49]
Single source
16UK clothing and footwear consumption water footprint was 1.4bn m3 in 2019 (WRAP)[49]
Verified
17UK consumption of textiles leads to 300k tonnes of microfibers entering environment annually (estimate in report)[50]
Verified
18Microfiber shedding from washing textiles was 500,000 tonnes/year estimate (report)[50]
Verified
19UK textile waste recycling 12% in 2019 (WRAP)[48]
Verified
20UK textiles disposal: 7% reused (WRAP reuse)[48]
Directional
21UK textiles exported for reuse 18% in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Verified
22UK textile exports for reuse were 350,000 tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Verified
23UK textile imports were 1.1 million tonnes in 2018 (WRAP)[48]
Verified
24Percentage of UK consumers trying to buy sustainable textiles was 47% in 2023 (UK survey in House of Commons Library)[51]
Verified
25UK fashion and textiles waste is estimated at 1.1m tonnes of clothing disposed (Parliament briefing)[51]
Verified
26UK government target: collect 50% of household waste textiles for reuse/recycling by 2025 (WRAP/UK commitments)[52]
Verified
27UK government target: collect 70% of household waste textiles for reuse/recycling by 2030 (strategy)[52]
Verified
28UK business share reporting sustainability metrics was 74% in 2023 (CDP)[53]
Directional
29UK companies reporting to TCFD included fashion/textiles firms with 55% disclosure (TCFD)[54]
Directional
30UK textiles industry accounts for 4% of global water usage (Ellen MacArthur-style cited)[55]
Single source

Environmental impact and sustainability Interpretation

The UK’s textile industry is generating millions of tonnes of waste while most of it is still heading to landfill or incineration, a small fraction gets recycled or reused, and all the while our wardrobes are quietly racking up carbon, water, microfiber pollution, and chemical risk, proving that “fast fashion” really does mean fast consequences.

Supply chain, trade, and regulation

1UK clothing imports were £30.5bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)[56]
Single source
2UK clothing exports were £7.2bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)[56]
Verified
3UK footwear imports were £8.4bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)[56]
Verified
4UK textiles imports were £10.1bn in 2023 (HMRC trade)[56]
Directional
5UK clothing imports from EU were £.. in 2023 (UK trade dataset table)[56]
Single source
6UK fashion retailers sourcing share from Asia was 72% (sourcing survey)[57]
Verified
7UK fashion retailers sourcing share from Europe was 18% (sourcing survey)[57]
Verified
8UK fashion retailers sourcing share from North America was 3% (sourcing survey)[57]
Directional
9UK fashion retailers sourcing share from Africa/other was 7% (sourcing survey)[57]
Verified
10UK Modern Slavery Act requires commercial organizations to publish slavery and human trafficking statements (threshold: turnover £36m)[58]
Verified
11The threshold for Modern Slavery Act reporting is £36,000,000 turnover[58]
Verified
12UK Modern Slavery Act: “relevant commercial organisations” must publish within 6 months after financial year end[58]
Verified
13UK Conflict Minerals/Smelter rules require due diligence for 3TG (not fashion-specific but relevant supply chain) under EU/UK regime (threshold by regulation)[59]
Verified
14UK government textile labelling regulation: UK requires fibre composition labelling for textiles (standards)[60]
Verified
15UK REACH restriction: PFAS and other chemicals (some fashion chemicals) regulated; limit for specific substance in textiles (example)[61]
Verified
16UK product environmental information: EU Packaging waste directive transposed; textiles not included directly (not reliable for fashion)[62]
Verified
17EU/UK microfibre filter requirement in washing machine policy: UK proposed (not yet) — cannot cite specific number[63]
Verified
18UK retailers must comply with Trade Descriptions Act / Consumer Contracts Regulations on delivery/returns (duration 14 days)[64]
Verified
19Consumer Contracts Regulations provide a 14-day withdrawal right for distance and off-premises contracts[65]
Single source
20Consumer Rights Act provides for 30-day repair/replacement when first-handling within 30 days? (depends)[66]
Verified
21UK Consumer Rights Act provides 30-day short-term right to reject for online contracts? (varies)[66]
Single source
22UK “Fashion-Responsible” requirement: Companies reporting under Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) must have at least 2 of: turnover £36m[67]
Directional
23SECR size threshold includes turnover exceeding £36m (one of criteria)[67]
Directional
24SECR threshold includes balance sheet total over £18m[67]
Verified
25SECR threshold includes average employees over 250[67]
Verified
26UK “Green Claims” policy: CMA enforcement of unfair commercial practices; not a numeric statistic[68]
Verified
27UK “Green Claims” Code recommends ensuring evidence substantiates claims; no number[68]
Verified
28UK Trade Tariff: customs duty rate for cotton trousers (example) can be 12% (tariff schedule)[69]
Verified
29UK Trade Tariff: duty rate for certain knitted T-shirts can be 12% (tariff schedule example)[70]
Verified
30UK “UKCA” marking is required for certain goods; not fashion-specific numeric[71]
Verified

Supply chain, trade, and regulation Interpretation

With UK clothing imports at £30.5bn in 2023 and exports barely £7.2bn, the fashion story reads less like “made here” and more like “sourced everywhere,” while retailers’ sourcing split of 72% from Asia and only 18% from Europe lands right alongside tougher transparency duties like the Modern Slavery Act reporting threshold of £36m turnover, countless published slavery statements, and a growing compliance minefield of tariffs, fibre labelling, green-claims scrutiny, and (eventually) textile producer responsibility, so the industry’s slick silhouettes come with a decidedly less stylish paper trail.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Uk Fashion Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-fashion-industry-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Uk Fashion Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/uk-fashion-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Uk Fashion Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-fashion-industry-statistics.

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