PhD Studentship: Building Resilient Circular Economy Supply Chains in the Fashion and Textile Industry Manchester Metropolitan University in United Kingdom

[Home and international tuition fees covered for three years; standard UKRI stipend of £20,780 for 2025/26.]

This fully funded PhD studentship at Manchester Metropolitan University offers an exciting opportunity to investigate how resilient circular economy supply chains can be built within the fashion and textile industry. The project addresses the critical challenge of enabling effective collaboration and coordination in complex supply chains, particularly in a sector marked by fragmented networks, high SME participation, subcontracting, informal economies, and frequent disruptions from policy changes, geopolitical instability, resource scarcity, and technological advances.

The research will focus on business-to-business relationship management capabilities and their role in strengthening resilience and resource mobilisation across the supply chain. You will explore interactions among companies and their wider ecosystem—including policymakers, not-for-profits, technology providers, and universities—to identify relational strategies that foster sustainable and circular practices. The project aims to map key players in the fashion/textile sector, identify characteristics that enable collaboration on circular economy initiatives, and study how businesses build and balance relationships with multiple stakeholders both locally and internationally to achieve sustainability goals.

Using qualitative case studies, you will gain in-depth insights into how businesses interact and mobilise resources for sustainability and circular economy efforts. The successful candidate will develop expertise in B2B supply chain relationships, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and circular economy strategies, contributing to both academic theory and practical industry transformation. This studentship provides a strong foundation for careers in academia (marketing, management, sustainability research) or industry (consultancy, innovation, policy development).

Funding is available for both Home and International students, covering full tuition fees for three years and providing a standard UKRI stipend of £20,780 for the academic year 2025/26. The project is one of five independent PhD projects open for applications, with only three funded studentships available. Applications will be reviewed by project supervisors, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to a second-round interview, where final funding decisions will be made.

Applicants should have a background in management, marketing, strategy, supply chain, economics, sustainability, fashion/design, or related disciplines, with a strong interest in sustainability and B2B marketing. To apply, contact Dr. Katy Zafari for an informal discussion, then complete the online application form for a full-time PhD in Marketing. Submit the Doctoral Project Applicant Form, CV, academic certificates, and transcripts via the University's Admissions Portal. The application deadline is 2 March 2026, and the expected start date is October 2026. Please quote reference FoBL-KZ-2026-27-Resilient Circular Economy.