The European Union has decided to transform the fashion industry by adopting the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. This initiative aims to shift the industry from a linear model of "take, make, dispose" to a circular one, where products are designed following Ecodesign’s rules, which pretend to create textile products that can be reused, repaired, and recycled. The initiative is about reducing waste and creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion industry.
The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is part of the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, and the fashion industry is a key focus area due to its significant environmental impact. By adopting circular fashion principles, fashion can reduce its waste production and environmental footprint, an important necessity for current fashion brands to comply with recent and upcoming regulations.
To understand what the EU’s regulations for fashion and textiles are, it is important to understand which are the main elements of Circular Fashion.
The design process of a product is going to define how will be its life-cycle. By introducing high-quality materials and construction techniques that ensure durability, the need for frequent replacements is reduced, leading to less waste.
Fast fashion popularized a damaging overconsuming and use-to-waste culture. By prioritizing longevity, circular fashion aims to reduce the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption.
Circular fashion encourages consumers to reuse and repair their clothing instead of discarding them. Fashion brands should facilitate repair services to their consumers and promote these initiatives.
Reusing is not just about final products. Creating new garments using your own surplus or acquiring other brands’ deadstock fabrics can significantly reduce a brand’s environmental impact. Recovo’s marketplace offers a wide selection of different deadstock fabrics to promote circularity in the fashion industry by reintroducing non-used fabrics, which would probably be incinerated or abandoned in landfills.
The fashion industry must work to give a second life to garments or textile materials. Recycling involves breaking down old garments into raw materials that can be used to create new products. Upcycling, on the other hand, involves creatively reusing old items to make new, often higher-value products.
This point is ruled by innovation in textile recycling processes. Fashion brands have the responsibility to invest in new ways to reintroduce materials to the supply chain, design recyclable products, and introduce recycled garments into their collections These advancements are crucial for closing the loop in the fashion industry and reducing waste.
For some companies, finding recycling methods can be overwhelming, so the easiest way to introduce recycling into a brand’s sustainable strategy is to associate with recycling partners, such as Recovo recycling service which helps fashion brands to recycle their surplus products.
One of the most important innovations for the textile industry is developing new sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and innovative materials like Econyl® Nylon fabrics. Several brands have launched their own sustainable collections which are normally related to organic raw materials or recycled content from old garments, fishing nets, or other plastic-derivated products.
These new materials are some of the best ways to reduce the environmental footprint, because their own production is not just avoiding other environmentally damaging products, its own compositions are recuperating old materials which can be very polluting, especially those derived from plastics
The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is a plan designed to make textiles more sustainable. This strategy includes requirements for eco-design, measures for the fight against microplastic pollution, and initiatives to promote the use of recycled materials, among others.
The EPR is a policy created to increase producers’ responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products encouraging companies to design textile products easy to repair and to invest in recycling infrastructure.
Several EU countries, such as France and Sweden, have already implemented EPR schemes for textiles, that require fashion brands to contribute financially to the collection, sorting, and recycling of their products. But, this is not important just for these countries; the EU is developing a common EPR to be implemented in every member state.
Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a process where public authorities seek to procure goods and services with a reduced environmental impact. The EU aims to promote circular products and encourage the industry to adopt circularity into its practices.
The EU has developed criteria for textile products to help public authorities make sustainable choices which consider factors such as the use of recycled content, the durability of the product, and the presence of hazardous substances to develop and promote a market for sustainable fashion.
Circularity has significant implications for fashion brands and manufacturers. While it presents challenges, it also offers numerous opportunities for innovation that several companies are currently taking advantage of to grow.
Brands are now focusing on innovative design and production methods to align with circular fashion principles, exploring new production techniques that minimize waste and reduce environmental impact. Some examples of sustainable fashion techniques can be:
Brands must invest in recycling infrastructure such as developing technologies to recycle textiles more efficiently and creating systems for collecting and processing used garments to upgrade current recycling systems and make them more profitable.
Brands are also partnering with recycling companies to close the loop on their products, for example with Recovo which provides recycling solutions to support recycling in the textile industry.
Collaboration is essential for the success of circular fashion. Brands can easily adopt circular solutions to their strategies by associating with other companies. Recovo is one of those companies that was born to help fashion brands implement circular solutions to their strategies. For example, Recovo launched a SaaS which increases fabric stock management internally, promoting the reuse of owned leftover fabrics.
The EU will continue to implement policies and regulations to support sustainable fashion, and the main focuses for these policies and regulations are:
The EU's Circular Economy Action Plan, adopted in 2020, sets the basis of the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles for transforming the textile industry and adopting a circular economy.
Collaboration within the industry will be crucial for the success of circular fashion. Brands, manufacturers, and other stakeholders must work together to develop sustainable solutions and share best practices. Initiatives like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Make Fashion Circular will play a key role in fostering collaboration and driving progress.
Industry collaborations can take many forms, from joint research and development projects to the creation of shared infrastructure for collecting and recycling used garments. By pooling resources and expertise, the industry can accelerate the transition to a circular fashion system.
Brands must work to encourage consumers towards circular brands and make them prioritize sustainable products Educational campaigns and initiatives to promote sustainable fashion will be key to achieving this goal.
Transparency is one of the most important assets to engage consumers. Increasing their trust through a circular economy is a requirement for circular fashion brands to make them more relevant to the fashion industry.
Technology is a key player in the circular economy. As it advances, more attractive and profitable solutions are launched for fashion brands. New innovative materials, recycling and sorting technologies, or production chain optimization technology are some of the most popular technology advancements. Companies that invest in research and development will be well-positioned to lead the way sustainably.
In conclusion, the EU's landmark move towards circular, sustainable fashion is a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry. By promoting circular fashion principles, implementing sustainability regulations, and encouraging consumer engagement, the EU aims to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion industry. While challenges remain, the opportunities for innovation and growth are immense, and the future of sustainable fashion in the EU looks promising.
Recovo creates circular solutions for the fashion industry. We cover various aspects of the circular economy for brands:
Based in Barcelona, we have a global mission with our websites in Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, French, dutch, German
If you want to know more, please contact us
