Fashion
Jo Whitfield is new BRC chair, first woman to take the role
Published
August 28, 2025
The British Retail Consortium is getting a female chair for the very first time with former Matalan and Co-op exec Jo Whitfield to take over from Andy Higginson in early October.
Whitfield has a quarter of a century of experience in retail and is currently a non-executive and audit chair at Asda, a non-executive and chair of the ethics committee at Factory International, and host of the Manchester International Festival.
She also played a leading industry role campaigning alongside the BRC to achieve better safety recognition and a change to the law to protect retail shopworkers.
She’ll be joined by Eve Williams, as a new non-executive director on the BRC board. Again, she’s hugely experienced and is VP and general manager of eBay UK as well as having held executive marketing and customer roles in both eBay and at ASOS, before being appointed to her current role.
Whitfield said: “I’m honoured to be joining the BRC as its first female Chair, and to be supporting Helen and her team at such a pivotal time. Retail is an incredibly valuable industry, employing over 3 million people who support their families through their work. It’s also uniquely inclusive and many of us have built our careers from the shop floor or from working-class backgrounds, rising into leadership roles and enjoying fulfilling careers.
“Retailers are at the heart of communities, and we’re acutely aware of the many government policies currently under consideration that could either support or hinder our industry. This is a critical moment for us all and now more than ever, we need a strong, united voice. I look forward to working closely with Helen and the team to ensure the interests of our industry are championed and protected.”
And Helen Dickinson, BRC CEO, added: “Jo and Eve join the board as we deal with multiple public policy headwinds and more to do on big issues like climate change, inclusion, and creating the right environment for growth and investment. I know how passionate they both are on these areas and particularly on people so it’s great to welcome two more women to our board and our first female chair.
“It has been a pleasure working with Andy and I would like to thank him for his pragmatic, down-to-earth advice, leadership and support over the past two-and-a-half years. We are a stronger organisation for it.”
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Published
October 18, 2025
Recognised as a protected geographical indication in France, Dentelle de Calais-Caudry says it has begun the process of becoming a European geographical indication to better protect its identity against low-grade counterfeits.
From December 1, the European Union will introduce a simplified procedure under Regulation 2024/1143, which now governs geographical indications and protected designations of origin across its Member States.
Crucially, Europe is now extending a protection regime to artisanal, manufactured, and industrial products, which was previously reserved for agricultural produce, foodstuffs, and spirits.
“The Dentelliers de Calais-Caudry have already applied to the INPI, which is responsible for forwarding their application to the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office), so that their geographical indication can be recognised throughout the European Union”, say the Calais and Caudry lacemakers.
Dentelle de Calais-Caudry became a regulated geographical indication in France at the beginning of 2024. It took the local industry’s representatives five years to achieve this goal, which aims to distinguish and protect know-how that is more than two centuries old, and relies on the use of imposing, complex Leavers looms, which lend their name to the lace they produce. In 1958, the “Dentelle de Calais” label was launched, and in 2015 it became “Dentelle de Calais-Caudry”, to include manufacturers from the Caudry area.
“Regularly confronted with very poor-quality counterfeits that damage their image and sales, the lacemakers of Calais-Caudry will, by obtaining this European geographical indication, benefit from legal protection across the 27 countries of the Union”, says the label, which hopes that “this guarantee of authenticity and quality, which will reassure all designers, stylists and lovers of Calais-Caudry lace, will help safeguard this know-how, these ‘passion’ trades, and accelerate international development.”
Today, Calais-Caudry lace is produced in Calais by Codentel, Cosetex, Noyon (Darquer), and Sophie Hallette / Riechers Marescot, which also operates in Caudry. The town is also home to Beauvillain Davoine, Darquer & Méry, Dentelles André Laude, Dentelles MC, Jean Bracq, and Solstiss.
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Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
The new directive aims to cut waste, reduce environmental damage, and strengthen the EU’s economic resilience by driving sustainable innovation and decreasing reliance on raw materials. It aligns with the EU’s Competitiveness Compass and Strategic Agenda for 2024–29, European Commission said in a press release.
The European Union’s revised Waste Framework Directive came into effect yesterday, establishing unified rules for EPR in textiles and setting binding targets to reduce food waste.
Aimed at cutting waste and boosting circularity, it requires Member States to set up EPR schemes, reduce food waste by up to 30 per cent by 2030, and promote eco-modulated fees, and sustainable design.
The EU’s textile and clothing industry remains an economic powerhouse, generating €170 billion (~$198.9 billion) in 2023 and employing 1.3 million people across nearly 197,000 companies. Yet, it is also one of the most resource-intensive sectors, ranking third in water and land use impact and fifth in raw material use and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019 alone, the EU generated 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste, with only one-fifth separately collected for reuse or recycling.
To address these challenges, the revised directive introduces two major sets of measures to promote circularity and competitiveness:
- Under mandatory EPR schemes, each Member State must establish a system requiring producers of textiles and footwear to pay fees for every product placed on the market. These funds will finance collection, reuse, recycling, and disposal operations. The fees will also support consumer awareness campaigns and R&D in sustainable design and waste prevention. EPR fees will vary according to sustainability criteria under the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)—a principle known as eco-modulation. Producers will pay less for durable, recyclable, and eco-friendly products, incentivising circular design.
- The directive also sets new rules for managing used textiles, ensuring that all separately collected textiles are classified as waste to prevent false reuse labelling and illegal exports. Unsorted textile waste will fall under the Waste Shipment Regulation.
Member States have 20 months to transpose the directive into national law and 30 months to set up their textile and footwear EPR schemes. Competent authorities must be designated by January 17, 2026, and updated food waste prevention plans finalised by October 17, 2027.
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