European Union (EU) member states have supported a proposal that will ban the destruction of unsold clothing, as reported by Financial Times on May 13. According to the draft, EU states backed a specific ban on the destruction of “apparel or clothing accessories.” The proposal also includes other recommendations aimed at achieving a circular and sustainable textile industry. The recommendations include putting an end to fast fashion, which involves producing “high volumes of lower quality garments at low price levels,” reducing emissions, water, and energy use throughout the entire lifecycle of textiles, increasing collection and reuse, and regulating green claims to prevent greenwashing. Before the propose can become law, it will need to receive approval from EU ministers and be agreed upon by the European Parliament.

The proposal followed the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, introduced by the European Commission in March 2022. While the previous strategy encouraged recycling and reuse of textile products, it did not specifically ban the destruction of unsold clothing. Instead, it required all large companies to report their quantities of discarded stock. Small businesses would be exempted from the ban under the new draft, while medium-sized businesses with up to 249 employees and with annual turnover less than EUR50m will be given longer time to adapt. Textiles are the fourth-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, after food, housing, and transport. If the proposal comes into force, it could have a considerable impact on the global textile industry since imports account for almost three-quarters of clothing and household textiles consumed in the EU.

Sources:

https://www.ft.com/content/65aa12f3-7aa6-445e-9f20-dafbf308b35d

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/30/eu-wants-to-force-fashion-firms-to-make-clothes-more-durable-and-recyclable

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230424IPR82040/ending-fast-fashion-tougher-rules-to-fight-excessive-production-and-consumption