Eco Age CEO John Higginson on the new era of proof-based sustainability

As regulators tighten the screws and consumers demand verifiable sustainability data, brands across fashion and luxury are being forced into a new era of transparency. Eco Age—long recognised for its influence on sustainability strategy, policy engagement and industry-wide advocacy—has been tracking this shift closely. Its CEO, John Higginson, is at the forefront of advising brands on compliance, traceability and credible environmental claims. Higginson, who previously founded Higginson Strategy and has worked extensively across FTSE companies and policy, also leads Eco Age’s collaborations with innovators such as Sparxell, Haelixa and TextileGenesis.

FashionUnited spoke with him about the rising scrutiny facing global brands, the changing expectations of consumers, and the frameworks shaping fashion’s next regulatory decade.

How are consumer expectations around sustainability and transparency changing the industry?

“Consumer behaviour has fundamentally changed,” Higginson says. “Sustainability has shifted from preference to prerequisite. People now expect clear, verifiable information about materials, sourcing and impact, and they act on it.”

Eco Age’s most recent research, based on its audience of over 250,000 responsible consumers, indicates that shoppers increasingly research brands before buying, and will “walk away if claims don’t stack up.” Higginson notes that younger audiences in particular “treat proof as standard,” and that this is rapidly reshaping how brands communicate.

“The biggest change is the move from narrative to evidence,” he adds. “Trust has eroded after years of inflated claims, and well-publicised cases where marketing didn’t match underlying data. Brands are being asked to back up their statements with independent verification, not soft language.”

Consumers are also demanding longevity, circularity and durability. Repair, reuse, credible recycling pathways and responsible material choices are increasingly part of mainstream decision-making. Eco Age reflects this shift through its editorial work, polling, events and strategic advisory, helping brands move from broad claims to transparent, defensible proof.

Consumer Demand: “The move from narrative to evidence is the biggest shift of all.”

What are the biggest challenges brands face in meeting the rising bar for compliance?

“Most brands only have reliable oversight of their first tier of suppliers,” Higginson explains. “Once materials move into spinning, dyeing, or informal processing, data becomes inconsistent or simply unavailable.”

This lack of visibility is colliding with a tightening global regulatory framework. In the EU alone, brands face:

• Digital Product Passports (DPPs), requiring product-level transparency on materials, origin and recyclability;
• The Green Claims Directive, which will restrict generic environmental claims without robust evidence;
• Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requirements on human rights and environmental risk mapping;
• Product-specific rules on textiles waste, eco-design and extended producer responsibility.

“It’s not only a technical challenge, it’s financial and operational,” he says. Smaller companies in particular struggle to invest in the systems needed to provide consistent, scalable provenance.

Still, Higginson stresses that progress is happening. Eco Age works with traceability leaders such as TextileGenesis and Haelixa, both of which provide independently verifiable fibre-level evidence. “Our job is helping brands embed these tools into wider sustainability strategies, so traceability supports compliance and credibility, not just box-ticking.”

What makes a sustainability claim credible in 2025? How can brands avoid greenwashing?

According to Higginson, the answer is straightforward: “Credible claims are specific, measurable and independently verified. Anything vague is now questioned, by regulators as much as by consumers.”

Transparency about limitations is equally important.

“Brands don’t need to present perfection,” Higgenson says. “They do need to show what they know, what they’re improving, and where the challenges still lie. It’s attempts to gloss over gaps that trigger accusations of greenwashing.”

Eco Age’s cross-disciplinary advisory, spanning communications, research, strategy and editorial, supports brands in building narratives rooted in verified information rather than marketing spin. “Every claim has to withstand scrutiny from consumers, trade and regulators,” he notes. “That’s the new baseline.”

What innovations or strategies help brands move from ambition to credible action?

“The first step is impact mapping,” Higginson says. “Brands need to understand where their biggest environmental and social pressures sit. Without that, any strategy is guesswork.”

He highlights traceability as “often the quickest win.” Technologies like Haelixa’s DNA tagging integrate into existing processes and offer forensic proof of origin. Meanwhile, next-generation innovators like Sparxell are enabling structural colour pigments that eliminate toxic dye processes—an area under growing regulatory scrutiny.

“Circular design is the next major lever,” he notes. Durability, repairability and responsible material choices must be built in from the start. Success, he says, depends on long-term supplier partnerships, particularly around regenerative or low-impact fibres.

“Sustainability cannot sit in a silo. It has to be integrated into design, procurement, merchandising and governance. That’s where real change happens.”

Where do you see the next major opportunities for meaningful impact?

“The biggest opportunity—and the biggest gap—is embedding sustainability into company culture,” Higginson says. Traceability accounts for only part of the picture. “Fair pay, ethical governance, responsible purchasing practices and transparent decision-making processes have a much larger long-term effect.”

Certifications such as B Corp offer useful frameworks but are not substitutes for values-driven business. “Authenticity comes from aligning internal practice with public commitments,” he warns.

Eco Age continues to drive this shift through industry platforms, policy engagement, editorial influence and strategic advisory. “The brands that link commercial innovation with real environmental and social responsibility will shape the future of fashion,” Higginson concludes. “Our work is geared toward supporting exactly that transition.”