The Cost of Clothing Collection Is Borne by the Makers | The EU’s Textile EPR
Collecting clothes that are no longer worn, sorting them, and sending them for reuse or recycling. Until now, much of the cost has been borne by municipalities and charities. The European Union (EU) is shifting to a system in which those costs are borne by the parties that made and sold the clothes. This is the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for textiles included in the Waste Framework Directive amended in 2025.
Path of the Revision
The European Parliament adopted the amended directive in September 2025, it was published in the Official Journal of the EU on the 26th of the same month, and it entered into force on October 16. Member states need to establish EPR systems for textile products within 30 months of its entry into force. Micro-enterprises have a 42-month grace period, and national systems are expected to begin operating around 2028.
Key Points of the EU Textile EPR
・Scope: clothing, shoes, fashion accessories, household textiles such as bedding and towels, curtains, and more
・Costs: businesses that place products on the EU market bear the costs of collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling
・Businesses outside the region and online sales are also covered
・Fees are adjusted according to durability, ease of repair, and ease of recycling
A System Where “Clothes That Last” Benefit
What is drawing attention is “eco-modulation,” which changes fees according to product design. The system is to be designed so that clothes that last longer, are easier to repair, and are easier to recycle will carry a lighter burden. The idea is to connect the costs that arise after disposal with better choices made at the production stage.
In the EU, preparations are also moving forward for a ban on destroying unsold clothing and for digital product passports that record product information. See also Unsold Clothes Must Not Be Thrown Away, Clothes Will Come with a Resume for more.
Reference: European Parliament and Council of the European Union, amendment to the “Waste Framework Directive” (2025)
—The Value Village Editorial Team
