EU finally adopts EPR: Industry reacts

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Vogue Business or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The European Union has formally adopted its long-debated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation for textiles, requiring brands and retailers to fund the collection, sorting, and recycling of clothing waste
• The text was signed by the European Parliament and European Council this week and will enter into force once published in the EU’s Official Journal (expected early October)
• Member states have 20 months to transpose the rules into national law and 30 months (by April 2028) to establish EPR schemes

🔭 The context: Textile waste has been a mounting crisis, with millions of tonnes exported to secondhand markets abroad
• France and the Netherlands already operate EPR systems, offering models for other states
• Producers will face fees in each market they sell into, with costs potentially higher for fast-fashion models or brands failing to meet sustainability criteria
• Exemptions include self-employed tailors and businesses selling secondhand or fully upcycled goods

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: EPR shifts financial responsibility for waste management onto fashion brands, pushing the industry toward circularity
• For the first time, producers will be required to disclose volumes sold—boosting transparency long demanded by activists
• However, critics warn of “waste colonialism” if funds mainly subsidize exports to the Global South without supporting local reuse markets handling Europe’s waste

⏭️ What’s next: Member states must design their EPR schemes, decide fee structures, and determine reporting requirements—raising risks of fragmentation if approaches diverge
• The EU’s forthcoming Circular Economy Act (2026) will likely provide stronger incentives, funding, and harmonization to close investment gaps in recycling infrastructure
• Philanthropy and industry cooperation will be key to ensuring a just transition that includes informal workers and waste pickers

💬 One quote: “Sustainability is no longer optional, it’s the new baseline for doing business in Europe.” – María Luisa Martínez Díez, VP of Public Affairs, Global Fashion Agenda

📈 One stat: By April 2028, all 27 EU member states must have operational EPR schemes in place for textiles

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