The Monitor for Circular Fashion launches its fifth edition, focusing on dialogue with policymakers.

The SDA Bocconi Monitor for Circular Fashion (M4CF) officially launched its 2025 activities with the first meeting of the year, held on March 13 at the Milan headquarters of SDA Bocconi. The event was attended by existing community members and new partners—GiTessil, Ympact, and Retraced—further strengthening the network of stakeholders committed to the transition toward circular fashion.

The 2025/2026 biennium of the M4CF focuses on fostering dialogue with policymakers, including participation in the activities of the EU Textiles Ecosystem Platform, which will be officially launched by the European Commission in the coming weeks. A key innovation in this edition is the introduction of four thematic working groups focusing on Ecodesign & Textile Waste Management, Technologies—particularly the Digital Product Passport—Social Impact, and Biodiversity. These working groups will explore the challenges and opportunities in each area, contributing to the development of concrete strategies for the circular fashion sector.

These areas represent the main priorities that companies in the sector will need to address in the coming year, as identified by evolving European regulations. The Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR), Digital Product Passport, Green Claims, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and Nature Restoration Law are some of the regulations already in force or under approval or revision (such as the Omnibus Package). These topics were considered in the latest edition and will also be analyzed in the fifth edition of the Monitor.

Circularity plays a central role in these areas: only through a holistic approach, which considers multiple dimensions, is it possible to translate transformation strategies into concrete and measurable actions.

"European Directives and Regulations are pushing companies forward, despite shifting dynamics. It is up to companies to implement strategies and tools to create a culture of circularity and reap its benefits - such as increased consumer loyalty and greater efficiency in resource utilization along the circular value chain,” says Francesca Romana Rinaldi, Director of the M4CF SDA Bocconi.

A key milestone for M4CF in 2025 will take place in June, when a Monitor delegation will travel to Brussels to meet with European policymakers. This meeting represents a crucial opportunity to strengthen dialogue between industry and institutions, promoting policies that support circularity in the fashion sector while emphasizing the importance of collaboration between small and large companies.

With the addition of new partners and an agenda full of initiatives, the Monitor for Circular Fashion continues to establish itself as a leading platform for the sustainable transition of the fashion industry.

SDA Bocconi School of Management

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