On 19 Nov 2025, at the Asia-Pacific Textile and Apparel Supply Chain Expo & Summit (APTEXPO) in Singapore, we shared early insights from our Sustainability Sectoral Plan — an ongoing study by the Singapore Fashion Council and South Pole exploring how ASEAN can position itself as a leading hub for circular and sustainable fashion. 

How we approached the study 🛠️ 

• Conducted a baseline study on sustainability practices across ASEAN, from measurement frameworks to on-ground initiatives 

• Benchmarked ASEAN fashion hubs to map strengths and gaps in policy, infrastructure, technology, and market demand 

• Engaged 50+ ecosystem players across the supply chain—from producers and manufacturers to retailers, recyclers, and innovators 

What we’re seeing so far 📌 

• Progress across ASEAN is promising but uneven 

• Data gaps remain 

• Water & waste challenges are both costly and highly location-specific 

• Recycling capacity is still limited 

• SMEs are ready to move but face constraints 

• Singapore is well-positioned to “connect the dots” through regional collaboration and innovation 

Key ideas to accelerate ASEAN’s transformation 🚀 

• 🌐 Harmonise policies and incentives to scale sustainable practices across borders 
• 🔄 Link circularity hubs connecting collection, recycling, and fibre-to-fibre innovation 
• ⚙️ Share technology, data and knowledge through collaborative pilot projects and industry platforms… and more to come as the study progress 
   

Want to play a part in shaping a more sustainable fashion future?  

🤝 Connect with us to explore synergies here.