Adam Mansell

Adam Mansell is CEO of the UK Fashion & Textile Association, specialising in industry innovation, sustainability and policy development. With over 25 years' experience across the entire fashion and textile supply chain, he leads UKFT as the government-appointed Sector Skills Body, representing businesses from emerging designers to global brands whilst championing British manufacturing and circular economy solutions. As Chair of the Future Fashion Factory and judge for Manufacturing Futures 2026, Adam actively shapes innovation strategy, recently highlighting textile recycling and closed-loop manufacturing as critical industry priorities. His work equips organisations with practical insights on trade, skills development, regulatory compliance and sustainable supply chains that drive competitive advantage.

Over more than 25 years, Adam Mansell has built an unparalleled understanding of the UK's fashion and textile industry, working across every stage of the supply chain from fabric and component suppliers to manufacturers, brands and retailers. This comprehensive perspective now shapes his leadership as CEO of the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT), where he represents businesses of all sizes, from emerging designers to global brands. Under his stewardship, UKFT has grown significantly and established itself as the government-appointed Sector Skills Body for fashion and textiles, playing a central role in shaping the industry's future through policy influence, skills development and international trade support.

Adam's credibility stems from deep operational engagement across multiple dimensions of the sector. He chairs the Future Fashion Factory, a £5 million industry-led research and development initiative focused on improving design and manufacturing processes through innovation. He has also led a £1 million project with IBM and Tech Data exploring sustainable supply chain optimisation. His commitment to British manufacturing has driven substantial expansion of UKFT's manufacturing membership, whilst his work on sustainability and innovation continues to set industry direction. Beyond UKFT, Adam serves as Vice President of Ginetex, the international body for textile care labelling, sits as a trustee of the CAPITB Trust, and holds a board position at the University of Leeds' School of Design Industrial Advisory Board. His contributions to initiatives including Textiles 2030 and the Institute of Positive Fashion further demonstrate his influence across the sector. Most recently, Adam served as a judge for Manufacturing Futures 2026, where he emphasised the critical need for closed-loop textile recycling solutions, stating that capturing and recycling cotton, polyester and wool at scale represents the industry's most pressing challenge.

Adam helps organisations and audiences navigate the complex intersection of innovation, regulation and commercial reality. His regular engagement with ministers, MPs and civil servants ensures that industry needs inform policy development on trade, skills, manufacturing and sustainability. Through his speaking work and frequent contributions to trade and national press, he translates technical complexity into actionable insight, helping businesses understand everything from export strategy and regulatory compliance to circular economy implementation. Audiences benefit from his collaborative approach and his ability to connect emerging innovations with practical business application, leaving them better equipped to anticipate change, meet compliance requirements and identify competitive advantage in an evolving marketplace. His focus remains firmly on solutions that work at scale, ensuring that the insights he shares drive tangible progress for the UK fashion and textile industry.