The European Union has approved landmark rules that will prohibit companies from destroying unsold clothing and footwear, marking a significant policy shift toward circular fashion principles across the European textile sector. The ban will apply to large companies from July 2026 and will extend to medium-sized businesses starting in 2030. The move targets an estimated 4–9% of textiles placed on the European market, a volume linked to roughly 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. This is comparable to Sweden’s total national emissions in 2021.
Under the new framework, companies will be required to disclose the volume of unsold goods they discard and demonstrate efforts to redirect products through resale, donation or remanufacturing channels. Destruction will only be allowed in limited cases, such as when items are unsafe or irreparably damaged. Enforcement will be handled by national regulatory authorities.
The measure forms part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and marks an important step away from the traditional linear model of produce, sell and dispose toward mandatory circularity in the textile industry. The regulation does not yet introduce fines or binding recycling quotas. However, mandatory disclosure alone is expected to reshape corporate behaviour by increasing transparency and strengthening reputational pressure on brands to reduce waste and accelerate the transition to circular fashion business models.
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