EU Adopts EPR: Fashion Brands Now Responsible for Textile Waste

The European Parliament has given its final approval to legally binding targets aimed at reducing both food and textile waste. For the fashion industry, this marks a major shift: all brands selling textiles in the EU — including non-EU companies and e-commerce platforms — will soon be held accountable for the waste their products create.

This new legislation introduces Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, which makes producers financially responsible for the collection, sorting, and recycling of the products they put on the market.

Key issues

The textile industry’s waste problem is significant:

• The EU generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year, including 5.2 million tonnes of clothing and footwear.

• Only 22% of post-consumer textile waste is recycled or reused. The rest ends up in landfills or is incinerated.

• Overproduction and overconsumption remain central challenges, making it clear that a shift in business models is urgently needed.

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles aims to transform the textile sector by 2030, promoting durable, repairable, and recyclable products. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a key initiative under this strategy, addressing end-of-life responsibility for textile products.

Scope of the EPR

The scope of the new EPR scheme is broad. It will cover:

• Clothing, footwear, hats, and accessories

• Blankets, bed and kitchen linen, and curtains

• Potentially even mattresses

This means that the responsibility extends well beyond traditional fashion brands to any company placing textile-based products on the EU market.

Deadlines & Compliance

By April 2028, every EU member state must have an operational EPR scheme for textiles. Microenterprises will have until 2029 to comply.

For brands — whether based in the EU or abroad — this means adapting operations, supply chains, and business models to meet these new requirements.

What this means for fashion brands

EPR is more than a compliance requirement — it’s an opportunity to lead in sustainability

• Global impact: EU & US companies alike must prepare, as the law applies to all textile products sold in the EU market.

• Financial accountability: Producers are responsible for managing collection, sorting, and recycling costs. The level of the financial contributions of the producers will be based on the circularity and environmental performance of textile products (referred to as "eco-modulation").

• Collaboration is key: Start building partnerships now — with recyclers, waste management organizations, circular design innovators, and supply chain partners — to ensure they can meet new requirements and avoid last-minute compliance challenges.

• Innovation opportunity: EPR could drive much-needed innovation in circular fashion, recycling technologies, and industry collaboration.

• Competitive advantage: Early movers can showcase sustainability leadership, strengthen consumer trust, and streamline supply chains.

Next steps

The EPR framework has the potential to accelerate the shift toward circular fashion and a more sustainable textile industry. Brands are advised to prepare in time by:

• Assessing supply chains for circularity opportunities

• Exploring recycling and waste management partnerships

• Rethinking product design strategies to minimize waste

💬 How is your company preparing for these changes? I’d love to hear your perspective.

For full details on the EU’s textile EPR legislation, see the official EU announcement.