It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

European Environment Agency

PRESS RELEASE / Event

1 April 2025

3 minutes

EuRIC’s Textiles event, held in Brussels on 27 March, brought together sorters, recyclers, manufacturers, retailers, policymakers, academics, and circularity experts to address the need for bridging the gap between policy and industry in the textile sector.

Systemic Change Essential to Achieve Textiles Circularity, Says EuRIC’s Event

Brussels, Belgium: EuRIC’s Textiles event, held in Brussels on 27 March, brought together sorters, recyclers, manufacturers, retailers, policymakers, academics, and circularity experts to address the need for bridging the gap between policy and industry in the textile sector. The event emphasised the need for a systemic shift towards a circular...

Toxics Usage / PFAS Study

19 September 2024

3 minutes

Textiles are one of the biggest sources of PFAS pollution in the EU. PFAS are used in clothing, home textiles, leather and technical applications.

PFAS a Barrier to Circularity, Underlines EEA Study

Textiles are one of the biggest sources of PFAS pollution in Europe though their use in most types of textiles is not a technical necessity, says a briefing by the European Environment Agency as it warns that PFAS in textiles can be a barrier to their longer use, reuse and recyclability, negatively influencing the sector’s shift to a more circular economy.

Staff Writer

Textile Destruction / EU Overview

5 March 2024

4 minutes

The destruction of customer returns and unsold textiles have direct environmental and climate impacts. These arise from the processes of handling returns and unsold textiles, and the destruction itself. Importantly, there are also indirect impacts from their original production, even if they are never used.

Almost 9% of Textile Products Destroyed in Europe, Finds Study

Even as the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles seeks to stop the destruction of unsold and returned textiles, a new study has found that the volume of textiles and textile products destroyed in Europe can be as high as 594,000 tones every year, with lower range estimates pegged at 264,000 tonnes.

Staff Writer

Textile Waste / Europe Markets

27 February 2023

2 minutes

According to analysed data from the United Nations, EU exports of textiles have increased and shifted from mainly African destinations to both Africa and Asia.

Used Textiles Exported from EU Tripled in Past 2 Decades

Discarded textiles in Europe, including used clothing and footwear, are an increasing waste and export problem. A European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing shows that Europe faces a challenge in how to handle its own used textiles.