‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ Textile Recycling Schemes Gain Traction Globally
With 8 to 10 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stemming from the apparel and footwear sector, the industry’s contributions to the growing threat of climate change are fast coming under scrutiny. But its actions to remediate the pileup of waste aren’t keeping pace with the problem.
That is likely to change over the course of the coming years as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs gain traction across the globe, according to British climate action non-profit Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP). While these frameworks are relatively rare as a means of mitigating fashion waste today, “It is expected that the number of EPR systems for textiles will rapidly change during the next decade,” head of EPR Jordan Girling wrote in a report released this month.
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EPRs are regulatory mechanisms used to finance the environmental management or recycling of a product or its packaging once it reaches the end of its useful life. They place the burden of recycling costs on the “producers” of these products, which can include both manufacturers and vendors. Packaging, batteries and electronics have all seen successful EPR programs implemented, leading to the development of systems that recycle their various parts and pieces for future use.
The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, published in March 2022, prompted a proposal for the adoption of a mandatory textiles EPR system. By 2025, producers across the EU will be responsible for collecting textile waste before it ends up in landfills. The European Commission designated the scope of the program to include apparel, shoes, blankets, rugs, bed linens and curtains, which will result in an estimated EPR fee of about 0.12 euros (about 13 cents) per item. Under the law, producers will be required to cover the costs of managing the waste, incentivizing them to curb overproduction and boost investments in circular products.
To date, France is one of the only countries with an active and relatively mature textiles EPR program. The first market to adopt such a scheme in 2008, the program currently applies to clothing, footwear and household linens. While both collective and individual participation is permitted—some large firms like H&M have created their own take-back programs—95 percent of the French fashion community (about 4,000 entities) are registered with the Refashion collective compliance program.
Costing between 0.01 euros and 0.06 euros per garment, the program has adopted the concept of “eco-modulated” EPR fees. Tough-to-recycle or less environmentally conscious products incur higher recycling fees, with the goal of pushing companies to take the content and construction of garments into consideration before they’re produced. Products that are designed for durability or with recycled materials receive discounts on their EPR fees.
Since its inception, France’s textiles EPR has created a threefold increase in the collection and recycling rates of textiles, WRAP’s data showed, and the material recovery rate for post-consumer textiles can reach up to 90 percent. While nearly half (49 percent) of the French population claimed to buy less apparel now than in the past, the number of items put on the market by brands has increased by 21 percent, suggesting that buying habits haven’t actually changed.
The French Ministry of Ecological Transition, which sets the directive for the Refashion recycling scheme, has upped its budget to about 1 billion euros over six years to improve collection and sortation, reuse and recycling. While data shows the program to be a success so far, a 2023 report from the OR Foundation charity, based in the U.S. and Ghana, cast doubt on the findings. The group asserted that up to 80 percent of the textiles collected by Refashion were actually exported to developing countries.
Other textile EPR programs are active in the Netherlands and Hungary as of last year, with producer obligations set to take effect in 2025. In the Netherlands, producers are responsible for developing a free-to-use collection system, or systems, for consumers. They are obligated to prepare 50 percent of collected textiles for recycling and reuse, and 25 percent for fiber-to-fiber recycling processes. While the law designates that producer obligations begin next year, they are currently liable for reporting. In Hungary, producers of apparel, clothing accessories, household linens, curtains, blankets, rugs, footwear and carpets will be required to make EPR contributions to a recycling system on a quarterly basis.
Sweden and Spain are slated to implement their own textiles EPRs, while Australia currently has a voluntary system in place for producers. If the industry there does not take the initiative to create its own widespread solution, Australian minister for the environment and water Tanya Plibersek has said she will step in. “I want to see industry leadership,” she said in 2023. “But if I don’t see enough movement in a year, then I will regulate.”
Bulgaria, Italy, Norway, Chile, the UK and California are also planning, drafting or mulling potential textiles EPR legislation. Last year, California State Senator Josh Newman, who represents the 29th district including parts of Los Angeles, put forward legislation that would require the state’s producers to fund the creation of such a scheme, but it failed to move forward. The California Textile Recovery Act of 2023 was pulled from consideration so that the retail community, as well as recyclers and other collaborators, could provide more relevant input, bill writers said.
But with the implementation of new sustainability legislation in Europe and across the globe, it’s likely that many markets will be forced to iron out the kinks, and quickly. It’s “imperative that this problematic waste is tackled,” WRAP’s Girling said. “The need for systems to manage textile waste has become significantly more apparent in recent years and consequently, Textiles EPR systems are emerging around the world.”
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