The 2026 Uniform Buyers’ Network opens with two key discussions addressing one of the biggest shifts facing the professional clothing industry: how procurement decisions made today will determine the cost, compliance, and sustainability challenges organisations face tomorrow.
As legislation tightens and expectations around sustainability, inclusivity, traceability, and circularity continue to rise, buyers are no longer simply sourcing uniforms, they are shaping future supply chains.
9:45am – 10:10am
UBN Priorities
PCIAW® & UBN Chairs (Industry / End-User Alignment)
Across the professional clothing, workwear, and PPE sectors, regulations are evolving faster than many procurement frameworks can currently adapt to.
From eco-design legislation and Digital Product Passports to inclusive sizing standards and climate-responsive technical textiles, suppliers are being asked to deliver garments that perform operationally while also meeting increasingly complex regulatory and social expectations.
But progress depends on one critical stage: the RFP.
This session explores how buyers and suppliers can work together to build smarter procurement strategies that move beyond price-led decision-making. The discussion will focus on how RFP specifications influence everything from sustainability outcomes and garment longevity to wearer wellbeing, traceability, and future compliance.
As the industry faces mounting pressure to balance performance, protection, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility, the conversation will examine how end-users can create meaningful change by embedding these priorities directly into procurement frameworks from the outset.
10:10am – 10:45am
EPR & Circular Uniforms: Not Acting Will Cost You More Later
AnPost – A Circular Case Study
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is rapidly becoming one of the most significant commercial and operational challenges facing the textile sector.
While suppliers may formally carry EPR obligations, the reality is clear: future compliance costs will inevitably influence contract pricing, sourcing strategies, and long-term procurement decisions for buyers.
The next uniform contract awarded today could soon operate within an entirely different legislative and financial environment.
In this session, AnPost shares its journey toward developing a truly circular uniform solution through a textile-to-textile ecosystem approach. The case study will walk through how circularity was embedded into the RFP process from the beginning, from material selection and garment design through to recycling pathways and end-of-life planning.
The discussion will highlight why delaying eco-design and circular procurement decisions may create significantly higher costs later, while demonstrating how forward-thinking buyers can future-proof uniform programmes against upcoming regulation, taxation, and sustainability pressures.
Together, these opening sessions set the tone for a day focused on smarter procurement, collaborative innovation, and the future of responsible uniform sourcing.
