The European Commission has officially adopted new measures under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to ban the destruction of unsold clothing, accessories, and footwear. The legislative step is designed to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry, which currently destroys up to 9% of unsold goods, generating millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year.
Until now, millions of items have simply been incinerated.
For large manufacturers, the ban will take effect on 19 July 2026. The rest of the companies will have to stop recycling clothing waste by 2030.
Exceptions are provided, for example, for damaged goods or if recycling is necessary for hygiene reasons. At the same time, companies will have to disclose information about the goods they recycle.
The innovations are expected to change the current market situation: recycling textiles is often cheaper than recycling them, which is why millions of items of clothing end up in landfills in the EU every year. Online shopping plays a role, as buyers return a very large number of goods; it is often easier for companies to recycle them than to put them back on sale.
According to the European Commission, up to 9% of unsold pairs of shoes and other clothing are destroyed in the European Union. Most often, they are burned. This leads to the emission of about 5.6 million tons of carbon dioxide per year – more than, for example, the combined emissions of all of Sweden. In Germany alone, almost 20 million returned items are recycled each year. This hurts the environment and climate.
Instead of the habit of recycling things, the European Commission intends to encourage companies to manage their stocks more effectively, process returns better, and consider alternatives – reselling, recycling, or donating clothes to charity.
By ensuring reuse and recycling, the EU aims to improve the circularity, energy efficiency, and durability of products placed on its market.