In recognition of the pressing need to tackle the issue of sustainable clothing and saving environment, well-known brands such as Adidas, Bestseller, C&A, H&M Group, Inditex, and VF International have joined forces with the Policy Hub – Circularity for Apparel & Footwear and Eunomia Research & Consulting to spearhead an initiative aimed at developing a comprehensive waste management system.
The ultimate goal is reducing pollution and facilitating the transition to a circular economy for textiles within the European Union (EU).
In Europe, textiles represent one of the largest environmental burdens after food, housing, and transport. To mitigate these impacts, the Policy Hub emphasizes the crucial importance of implementing circular practices and end-of-life solutions that minimize the disposal, landfilling, and incineration of textile waste.
EU’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) serves as the cornerstone of textile waste management, embodying the “polluter pays” principle. It places the responsibility on producers to finance the management of their products’ end-of-life, thereby enabling the closure of the materials and product cycle.
The Policy Hub emphasises that “everything starts with design,” asserting that the choice of materials and production processes during the design phase significantly impacts a product’s environmental footprint. Furthermore, manufacturers should be incentivised to eliminate waste through design and to monitor their emissions, chemical usage, and production waste.