Data news and archive

Fashion industry linked to almost a third of global farmland, report finds

The fashion industry influences almost a third of the world’s agricultural land when leather and wool are included alongside textile crops, according to a new report from researchers at the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and Environment and DIRT Charity. The report suggests that fashion has influence over 30 percent of global...

Member

Retail

Clothing and footwear sales rise in August as online spending falls

Sales at textile, clothing and footwear stores rose in August, despite online sales in the category declining, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Overall sales at textile, clothing and footwear stores increased 1.1 percent month-on-month in August and rose 0.6 percent over the three months to August,...

FeaturedMember

Business

Supplier data leak: What fashion retailers need to know and do, according to experts

Three European retailers — Dutch department store De Bijenkorf, Amsterdam eyewear label Ace & Tate and German online fashion platform About You — disclosed customer data leaks in August. These companies faced the consequences of a cyber incident at logistics service provider Ceva Logistics, even though their own systems were not directly hacked....

Member

Business

Fashion's first half of 2026: records and a widening gap

Over 450 FashionUnited business articles spanning the half-year reporting season, published until Monday, describe an industry that is cautiously upbeat but sharply divided. In six out of 10 reports, companies described rising sales or improving profits, and that majority widened from July into August as second-quarter figures came in. More...

Member

Retail

UK retail footfall falls 1.7 percent in August as pressure remains on high streets

UK retail footfall fell 1.7 percent year-on-year in August, according to the latest BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor, with high streets continuing to record the sharpest decline. The figure was down from a 1.2 percent increase in July for retail parks, which remained the only retail destination to record year-on-year growth, at 1 percent. High...

Member

Retail

UK retail footfall remains stable in August despite extreme weather

August footfall remained largely stable across UK retail destinations, with back-to-school shopping helping to offset impact from extreme weather throughout the month. Between August 2 and 30, footfall rose 1 percent year-on-year and 0.1 percent month-on-month, according to MRI Software. Shopping centres led the way, with footfall increasing 2.3...

Member

Retail

Irish parents call for school uniform overhaul

Irish parents are calling for changes to the way school uniforms are designed and sold, with new research highlighting concerns around availability, pricing, quality and comfort. A survey of more than 1,000 Irish parents commissioned by school uniform business Flydays found that 50 percent believe the current purchasing system is outdated....

Fashion

Consumers want fashion retailers to offer more guidance, Asos research finds

Fashion consumers may have more access to trends and products than ever, but new research commissioned by Asos suggests retailers are facing a different challenge of how to help shoppers understand what to do with all that choice. A survey of 1,952 UK consumers found that 67 percent turn to social media for fashion inspiration, yet 68 percent...

Member

Retail

Retail sales decline 0.5 percent in July amid prolonged heatwave

Summer 2026 has been one of flux. The World Cup helped to lift sentiments, albeit a prolonged heatwave has started to dissuade consumers instead of motivate them, and the aftermath is now showing in the data. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales volumes fell 0.5 percent in July 2026, down from an increase of 0.7...

Member

Business

Chanel, Vuitton, Dior: French brands dominate Brand Finance 2026 ranking

According to the latest data published by Brand Finance, the cumulative value of the world's top 50 apparel brands has decreased by 4 percent to 350.9 billion dollars in 2026. This contraction occurs amidst a climate of macroeconomic uncertainty and a realignment of consumer expectations. Despite these challenges, the industry is showing...

Fashion

Environmental responsibility improves financial performance by increasing sales

As consumers increasingly favour environmentally responsible companies, businesses face growing pressure to transform sustainability into a competitive advantage. A new study demonstrates that environmental responsibility indirectly improves financial performance by increasing sales. This identifies a key mechanism that has received little...

Fashion

StockX H1 report: Supreme and Jordan revive, Saucony dethrones Asics

The first half of the year was defined by revivals and football, according to StockX’s annual report, Big Facts: Brands Making Moves. The culture and resale marketplace has once again outlined the fastest-growing brands on its platform, tracking sales data from January to June 2026 and comparing it with the same period last year. The overarching...