EU bans large companies from destroying unsold clothing
Under an EU rule, large companies may no longer destroy unsold or returned clothing and shoes. The rule is part of the Ecodesign Regulation and is meant to conserve resources. Environmentalists warn, however, that the ban is easy to circumvent.
An EU rule will in future bar large fashion companies from destroying unsold or returned clothing, shoes and textiles; the rule is part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation adopted in 2024 and of Europe's circular-economy course. The conservative FAZ and the public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk present the change as a win for consumers and the environment, since a lot of new goods have so far ended up in the bin. Die Zeit relays the warning from environmentalists that companies could easily circumvent the ban, for instance through generous exemptions or workarounds. Smaller firms are exempt for now, and the ban is to be extended over time, accompanied by transparency and reporting obligations. Across the camps, the goal of reducing textile waste and the associated emissions is regarded as sensible; what is disputed is how effective and enforceable the rule will prove in practice.