EU Bans Destruction of Unsold Clothing and Footwear

A ban on the destruction of unsold clothing and footwear by large companies has taken effect in the European Union. According to the DPA news agency, the new rules, part of the Ecodesign Regulation from July 2024, require companies to sell or donate unsold goods. The only exceptions are hazardous, contaminated or irreparable items, or donations that charitable organizations have not collected within the specified time frame.

According to the European Commission, 4% to 9% of unsold textiles are destroyed annually in Europe, producing 5.6 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. The German Retail Federation expects the ban to bring consumers more discounted goods at outlet stores and thrift shops, but acknowledges that retailers' logistics and storage costs will rise.

Although the GermanFashion apparel association welcomed the move, its director, Thomas Lange, pointed out that traditional European brands do not typically destroy textiles. The real challenge lies in the massive volumes of cheap "fast fashion" imported for consumers from non-European suppliers.

The Confederation of the German Textile and Fashion Industry, meanwhile, criticized the legislation for being out of touch with reality and warned that without the development of the missing recycling capacity, it will remain nothing more than a bureaucratic burden on paper.

Greenpeace and WWF are also skeptical. They point to legislative loopholes and the possibility that companies could circumvent the rules, and emphasize that the success of the reform will depend entirely on thorough inspections by government agencies.

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