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The world is searching for a path, and the detours are quite large and challenging in the attempt to reconcile "cabbage with goat" - environmental protection with comfort and immediate gain. If, until now, action has been taken regarding transportation, food, and electronics, it was impossible not to reach... clothing. Recycling, reuse, and sorting are the basics, and the fashion industry will have to take them into account. This summer, the European Commission proposed a set of rules to make producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of textile products and to support sustainable textile waste management across the EU. According to the Commission, this initiative will accelerate the development of the separate collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling sector for textiles in the EU, in line with the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. By increasing the availability of used textiles, it is expected to create local jobs and save money for consumers in the EU, while reducing the impact of textile production on natural resources. The Commission is proposing the introduction of mandatory and harmonized Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in all EU member states. EPR schemes have been successful in improving waste management for various products, such as packaging, batteries, and electrical and electronic equipment. Producers will cover the costs of managing textile waste, which will incentivize them to reduce waste and improve the circularity of textile products by designing better products from the outset. The amount producers pay to the EPR scheme will be adjusted based on the environmental performance of textiles. Common EU extended producer responsibility rules will also facilitate the implementation of the requirement to separately collect textiles starting in 2025, in accordance with current legislation. Producer contributions will finance investments in separate collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling capacities. The proposed waste management rules aim to ensure that used textiles are sorted for reuse, and what cannot be reused is directed to recycling as a priority. Businesses involved in the collection and treatment of textiles will benefit from increased business opportunities and a larger market for second-hand textiles, as stated by the European Commission. The proposal will also promote research and development of innovative technologies for the circularity of the textile sector, such as fiber-to-fiber recycling.The proposal also addresses the issue of illegal exports of textile waste to countries ill-equipped to manage it. The new law will clarify what constitutes waste and what is considered reusable textiles to stop the practice of exporting waste disguised as being done for reuse.
The EU generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year. Clothing and footwear alone account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person every year. Currently, only 22% of post-consumer textile waste is collected separately for reuse or recycling, while the rest is often incinerated or sent to landfills.
Well-known company H&M intends to sell second-hand clothing and accessories at its flagship store in London, starting from October 5th, as pressure mounts on fast fashion companies to reduce their environmental impact by encouraging the reuse and recycling of clothing items, reports CNBC. As the European Union plans new regulations to curb textile waste across the bloc, H&M stated that it is "part of the problem," and that the way fashion is produced and consumed needs to change. The "PRE-LOVED" women's clothing collection at the H&M Regent Street store will include clothing items from several other brands and designers, as well as H&M Group brands, including Arket, Cos, Monki, and Weekday. It will be the second H&M store to offer second-hand clothing, following the one in Barcelona, which opened earlier this year. H&M also has an online second-hand offering in Sweden and Germany.
The autumn-winter 2023 collection of second-hand offerings will include metallic-colored dresses and shirts, stylish trench coats, and "fashionable knitwear," according to H&M, with new items added every day. The clothing items will be sourced from Flamingos Vintage Kilo, a company that owns vintage second-hand clothing stores in Europe and the United States, and will be priced between £29.99 (approximately $37) and £189, H&M said. H&M launched a clothing rental service at its Regent Street store in November last year. Peer-to-peer resale of second-hand clothing has become a big business, with online platforms like thredUP, Vinted, and Depop proliferating, and well-known brands following suit by launching their own services. Zara launched its online second-hand service in France last week, after testing it in the UK since November last year.
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