The Monitor for Circular Fashion (M4CF) launches its new 2026–2027 cycle of activities, strengthening dialogue among companies, institutions and stakeholders across the fashion supply chain to accelerate the transition towards circular models.

The new work program will focus in particular on identifying scalable value chain partnership models to reduce and manage unsold inventory, one of the main systemic and regulatory challenges for the sector. The objective is to analyse and develop collaborative and scalable solutions among brands, suppliers, logistics operators and ecosystem players, starting from repair and reuse. This focus is consistent with the research results presented in the recent M4CF report , presented in February 2026 at SDA Bocconi, as well as with legislative priorities, considering that the ESPR – Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation introduces a ban on the destruction of unsold products, including textiles, starting from July 2026 for large companies.

“Repair and reuse represent strategic levers to extend product lifecycles, generate new economic and social value, and reduce environmental impact. It is also in the transformation of unsold inventory from a problem into a resource that the sector’s competitiveness and transition towards circular models are at stake,” says Francesca Romana Rinaldi, Director of the M4CF at SDA Bocconi.

During the kick-off plenary meeting, held on March 26, 2026 at SDA Bocconi in Milan, the Monitor brought together industrial partners and some institutional stakeholders to define research priorities and the work plan for the coming months. Among the institutional participants and industry associations present were the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), Confindustria Moda and CNA Federmoda, confirming the growing attention of institutions to circularity in the fashion sector.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to welcome new partners to the M4CF 2026/2027: Reju, Brandart and GS1, which will contribute complementary expertise and perspectives on traceability, material management and supply chain solutions.

“Circular economy cannot scale through isolated innovations, but requires coordinated action along the entire supply chain. With its entry into the Monitor, Reju aims to contribute to building frameworks and partnerships capable of making textile regeneration truly scalable,” says Gianluca Pandolfo, Head of Business EMEA at Reju.

“Brandart as an integrated partner for premium and luxury brands in packaging, retail installations and visual merchandising, joins the M4CF at SDA Bocconi to contribute to a multi-stakeholder, research-driven platform advancing circularity in fashion and across its value chain,” says Francesca Bergamaschi, Global Compliance, Sustainability & Excellence Director at Brandart.

"GS1 Italy joins the Monitor for Circular Fashion at SDA Bocconi with the conviction that, in order to build a scalable supply chain approach to sustainability, dialogue among all stakeholders is essential. Our objective is to support and accelerate the transition towards a circular supply chain through interoperable and effective data exchange models and structures, leveraging our experience and GS1 standards to build a common language across the supply chain," says Vittorio Giordano, Industry Engagement Senior Specialist.

Alongside its research activities, the M4CF is also engaged in dialogue with European policymakers. In recent weeks, the M4CF working group has collaborated with MASE, MIMIT, Confindustria Moda, CNA Federmoda and other stakeholders to take part in the European Commission Joint Research Centre consultation on ecodesign by March 30, with the aim of representing the needs and opportunities of the fashion sector through a nationally aligned perspective for the definition of future sustainability policy on ecodesign.

During the meeting, a first interactive workshop dedicated to the prevention of unsold inventory was also held, in which partners shared experiences and initial reflections on tools and strategies to anticipate and reduce the generation of unsold inventory along the supply chain.

Effective management is based on a dual approach:

• prevention, through the optimisation of processes along the value chain to reduce the generation of excess stock; 
• correction, through disposal and valorisation actions for existing inventories. 

Advanced inventory management brings significant benefits: improved operational efficiency and cost optimisation, strengthened customer experience and brand reputation, as well as a positive impact on sustainability.

Among the key moments of the meeting was also the introduction of the strategic foresight workshop, which in the April M4CF meeting will allow the exploration of future scenarios for the sector and the definition of the next steps of M4CF activities, with the aim of translating analyses into concrete proposals for the fashion system.

The results of the activities will be progressively shared with public decision-makers, with the intention of presenting policy proposals after reaching alignment with the main trade associations in the sector.
In the coming months, the Monitor will also present the Circular Fashion Manifesto 2026 “Best Practices Update” in September, during Milan Fashion Week, further strengthening its commitment to promoting a shared and concrete vision for the circular transition of fashion.