Business · Salisbury
Salisbury hosts regional fashion forum to tackle trade compliance and rising costs
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Independent fashion retailers and brands from across Wiltshire and the Southwest will gather in Salisbury to navigate complex new EU trade regulations and rising import costs.
Independent fashion businesses from across Wiltshire are set to address the mounting pressures of cross-border trade and sustainability compliance at a dedicated industry forum in Salisbury. The inaugural Southwest Fashion Forum Morning Conference will be held at the PSP Innovation Centre at Porton Science Park on Thursday, November 5, providing a platform for local retailers to engage with legal experts and industry specialists.
As independent retailers contend with a complex landscape of new regulations, the event aims to demystify the compliance requirements that have significantly increased the administrative and financial burden on small businesses. Attendees will examine the practical implications of EU regulations, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the implementation of Digital Product Passports, and the Empowering Consumers Directive.
A primary focus of the conference is the challenge of proving product origin to avoid punitive tariffs. Clothing exported from the UK to the EU without valid documentation regarding rules of origin can be subject to standard duty rates of 12 per cent, rather than the zero-rate benefit available under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Experts will guide business owners on the necessary evidence requirements to maintain competitiveness in these export markets.
Lavinia Fernandes, founder and CEO of the compliance platform Symolem, highlighted the difficult position many small firms currently face. "Independent retailers are being hit by tariffs on one side and compliance evidence on the other," she noted. "The conference is a chance to hear from the lawyers and brand compliance teams who are already dealing with it, and to understand the real cost before it lands."
The event is a collaboration between the University of Exeter, Symolem, and the Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub, forming part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2026. Beyond legal briefings, the programme features a live demonstration of Digital Product Passport technology and a case study presentation by students from the University of Exeter's One Planet MBA programme.
Dr Vinayak Sharma of the University of Exeter emphasised the practical objective of the forum. "We want attendees to leave with a clearer view of what compliance will cost them and what to do next," he said. The conference offers a vital opportunity for retailers, fashion brands, and packaging companies from across the region to network and share strategies for managing these regulatory changes. While registration for the event is free, organisers have advised that places are limited and encouraged businesses to secure their attendance via the Symolem website.
Source: Salisbury Journal — Salisbury · View original