## **Fashion Brands in the Crosshairs: The EU’s Push to Combat Textile Waste**
“How much is too much?” This provocative question from **Lars Fogh Mortensen**, a circular economy expert at the **European Environment Agency (EEA)**, serves as a stark reminder of the textile waste crisis gripping the fashion industry. In a compelling social media video, Mortensen illustrates this issue by having a mountain of clothes tossed at him, symbolizing the soaring consumption of clothing, footwear, and other textiles in the EU, which has hit a record high.
### **Soaring Textile Consumption: The Numbers Don’t Lie**
The EEA reports a staggering figure: the average **EU citizen purchased 19 kg of textiles in 2022**, a noticeable increase from 17 kg in 2019. Despite the **EU’s ambitious sustainable and circular textiles strategy** launched last year, climate experts warn that the transition away from the detrimental habits of fast fashion is painfully sluggish. Brands face an uphill battle, walking the tightrope between growth and sustainability to meet the EU’s **2030 climate goals**.
#### **The Circular Economy Action Plan: A Blueprint for Change**
The EU’s **Circular Economy Action Plan**—an integral part of the **European Green Deal**—aims to alleviate pressure on natural resources and pave the way for sustainable growth and jobs. This paradigm shift moves away from traditional linear models of production and consumption, which generate waste, toward circular models that prevent materials from becoming waste, thereby minimizing harm to our planet.
In February, a provisional deal was announced that mandates textile producers—whether based in the EU or selling online—to fund the collection, sorting, and recycling of their products through **Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)** schemes. This marks a significant pivot towards sustainability in the fashion sector.
### **The Complexity of Changing Fast Fashion**
Mortensen underscores the difficulty in changing an entrenched system: **“Fast fashion is a whole system of production and consumption with millions of employees, which has been operating for decades”**. Altering this deep-rooted culture is a daunting task.
#### **Intentions Scaled by Challenges**
While there is a noteworthy **“intention” among brands** to experiment with and expand circular business models—incorporating sharing or leasing systems and take-back schemes—Mortensen cautions that progress will remain slow as long as synthetic fibers continue to be significantly cheaper than recycled alternatives.
### **The Transparency Imperative**
**Maria Srivastava**, the Chief Impact Officer at the B Corp-certified brand **Pangaia**, emphasizes the lack of truly sustainable brands today, stating, **“A 100% sustainable brand right now does not exist.”** She believes that traceability and transparency are critical, pointing to tools like the **Digital Product Passport** that aim to shed light on the often opaque supply chains within the fashion industry.
The monumental demand for transparency mirrors a shift in consumer expectations. Pangaia, with its focus on transitioning from virgin to recycled cotton by 2026, is working to meet these demands. Their journey reflects the broader trend of consumer inclination toward brands that can substantiate their sustainability claims.
### **Success Stories: The Path Forward**
One of the largest sports retailers globally, **Decathlon**, is intensifying its commitment to a repair-and-recycle model, joining **The Fashion ReModel**—a circular fashion initiative involving brands such as H&M and eBay. Launched in 2024, the initiative showcases how rental, resale, and repair models can create viable revenue streams.
John Thomas, Decathlon’s Global Sustainability Director, states, **“Sustainability is as equally important an attribute as quality and price to our consumers.”** Currently, **3.2% of Decathlon’s global turnover** stems from circular sales, primarily focused around bike recycling, which reflects a growing trend in the industry.
### **Regulatory Pressures and Greenwashing**
Despite the push for sustainability, the journey towards responsible fashion remains fraught with challenges. Thomas calls on policymakers for **“ambitious, urgent, fair regulation,”** emphasizing the need for a level playing field against e-commerce giants that exploit loopholes, like **Shein** and **Amazon**.
Tanja Gotthardsen, an activist and consultant, draws attention to the deceptive practices in the industry as brands adopt climate-focused language while still engaging in **greenwashing**—where companies falsely claim environmental friendliness. She critiques the existing low pricing structures that encourage overproduction and a throwaway culture.
### **Innovative Solutions: Leading by Example**
**Mud Jeans**, a sustainable denim brand based in the Netherlands, exemplifies success through innovation, offering a **“lease your jeans”** system that allows customers to rent, repair, and eventually recycle or swap their denim. Founder **Bert van Son** aims for a **“closed-loop system”** using 100% post-consumer waste, striving to produce high-quality jeans without contributing to overproduction.
### **A Call to Action for the Fashion Industry**
The textile industry’s looming climate crisis calls for more than just innovative materials; it demands a systemic transformation across business models, consumer behavior, and regulations. **Rasmus Nordqvist**, a Green MEP with a background in fashion, advocates for legislative transparency to bolster the industry’s future.
While some large players are testing circular strategies—such as swapping and second-hand sales—the necessary substantial changes remain stifled by low-price strategies that perpetuate overconsumption. Nordqvist highlights a future where companies can focus on quality rather than quantity, envisioning a fashion landscape where ethical practices are the norm, not the exception.
In conclusion, the roadmap to sustainability in fashion is complex but navigable. **As consumers**, we wield significant power in shaping the future of the industry—demanding transparency, accountability, and sustainability from the brands we choose.
