Drastically Reducing Production is Only Viable Solution to Make Textiles Sector Sustainable

Drastically reducing production, beyond changing the way we produce, is the only viable solution to make the textiles sector more sustainable, the RREUSE network has outlined in a position paper on the EU Textiles Strategy launched earlier this year.

• To phase out the linear model, European institutions should regulate the sector through fiscal and legislative means while supporting the re-use sectors as the more sustainable, circular and socially responsible alternative, the paper has outlined.
• The paper has also listed two other recommendations: decrease the amount of textile waste through ambitious waste policies, and develop circular and social textile value chains.

The recommendations: The three recommendations are broken down into 10 components:

• Drive systemic changes in textile production’s design and consumption patterns

1. Reduce overall per capita production and consumption of textiles.
2. Set strong eco-design requirements to create reusable and longer-lasting textiles.
3. Use information requirements to enhance products’ reusability.
4. Use public procurement as a tool to enhance socially and environmentally responsible purchase.

• Decrease the amount of textile waste through ambitious waste policies

1. Set an ambitious and adequate ban on the destruction of unsold new goods.
2. Provide a waste management framework supporting waste prevention and preparing for re-use as a priority.
3. Ensure that potential future EPR schemes support preparing for re-use activities.
4. Support re-use operators in their effort to reach the proximity principle.

• Develop circular and social textile value chains

1. Promote existing circular business models as social enterprises active in post-consumer textile management.
2. Promote and support social enterprises in their skilling and upskilling efforts.

The problem with production and consumption: The RREUSE argument is that the Strategy does not set any target for production/materials consumption reduction and therefore fails to tackle the fast fashion issue.

• The strategy should set an EU-wide quantitative target for material and consumption footprint reduction with specific objectives for textile products for the sector, and an accompanying timeline.
• Re-use can represent both an environmental and social alternative to fast fashion, presenting more affordable options to consumers. In addition, social enterprises developed innovative online stores to facilitate second-hand purchases such as Label Emmaüs or Thriftify which propose affordable and sustainable alternatives to new products.
• The Strategy should introduce taxes on all virgin resources used in the textiles sector, as well as taxes on disposable, non-essential goods and advertising that promotes fast fashion consumption behaviour.
• The Commission should encourage member states to introduce a minimum or zero VAT for the repair and sale of second-hand supply of textile goods and services.
• Eco-design requirements should be tackled through the prism of re-use to ensure textile products still hold value when reaching the second-hand market brands should not be allowed to continue to keep up the same level of (over) production as long as they use certain amounts of recycled content.
• The Strategy should introduce measures prioritising the waste hierarchy and waste prevention, which will ultimately push companies to extend the lifespan of their textile products.