EURATEX

As the European Commission aims to simplify REACH – the most complex chemicals legislation in the world — the textile and clothing industry, represented by EURATEX, has called for a more efficient and coherent regulatory framework as a key essential to safeguard the competitiveness and innovation capacity of EU industry.

A recurring theme at the 63rd Global Fibre Congress at Dornbirn from 11–13 September was recycling and the associated circular economy. It stressed on the urgent need for everyone in the value chain, from machine manufacturers to manufacturing and retail, to find a common denominator—the only way to provide the consumer with products which are sustainable and affordable.

Euratex, the voice of the European textile and clothing industry, has urged on the need to stabilise inflation, restore consumer confidence and ensure a level playing field for this industry.

A new project addressing the technology-capacity gap in sorting for reuse and recycling to ensure that high-quality raw materials from non-wearable textile waste can be made available on a large scale, is in the works.

EURATEX, the European apparel & textile confederation is piloting a three-year project — RegioGreenTex — for companies to transition into new sustainable business models, including management of textile recycling.

EURATEX has released a position paper on the European Commission's proposal for a Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence. It has pointed out many lacunae in the proposal, and said that smaller players in supply chains could feace the brunt.

The proposed PEFCR (Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules) for apparel and footwear will benefit brands the most, while manufacturers, particularly SMEs, will have to bear the burden. The fallacy has been pointed out in a EURATEX position paper, which also underlined that exisiting limitations can lead to misleading results.