Can the fashion industry move from recycled bottles to reused threads?

Read the full story from Reuters.

Some U.S. states are advancing legislation on textiles recycling, while proposals launched by the EU in July will make producers responsible for the full life cycle of textile products, also known as extended producer responsibility. They’ll have to cover the costs of managing textile waste, a measure aimed at incentivising them to produce less waste and design for circularity.

Ecodesign legislation is also in train, as part of an overall vision to have textiles on the EU market both recyclable and largely made of recycled fibres by 2030, while another proposal aims for common rules on environmental claims to prevent greenwashing.

Current legislation also means member states will have to collect textiles separately from 2025.

Viviane Gut, senior director sustainability at Adidas, says the proposed regulations, taken together, bring clarity to a situation where “every brand almost has their own definition of what is sustainable or circular. Extended producer responsibility doesn’t solve the problems of textiles recycling, but it creates an environment where you are clear what you know, what you can do and what you should do. So we are all working in the same direction, and trying to solve this very complex topic.”