EU Bans Destruction of Unsold Clothing And Shoes
- Feb 28
- 2 min read
To fight overproduction and make the fashion industry more sustainable, the European Union has introduced new rules that prohibit companies from destroying unsold textiles and footwear.
Starting this July, big fashion brands will no longer be able to destroy their unsold items in the EU. According to EU data, an estimated 4 percent to 9 percent of unsold textiles in Europe are destroyed before being worn, generating roughly 5.6 million tons of carbon emissions.
The Commission says the new move will “help cut waste, reduce environmental damage and create a level playing field” for companies seeking to implement more circular business models.
Instead of destroying unsold stock, companies should look to manage it more effectively by optimising return operations and prioritising alternatives such as resale, remanufacturing, donations or reuse, according to the Commission. Large companies will be banned from incinerating or discarding unsold apparel, footwear and accessories from July, with the rules expected to extend to medium-sized firms in 2030.
The EU wide ban, reports Business of Fashion, comes on top of the European Parliament’s finalisation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes last September, which will be nationally administered by member states, and will require fashion brands to cover the full cost of their waste in the bloc.
French lawmakers are going further. They worry about the explosion of cheap, disposable clothing flooding their market - now numbered at over 3 billion pieces annually, and the nation throws away 35 clothing items every second. Under the proposed new rules in France, fashion companies must tell customers about the environmental impact of their products. The law measures company size by the number of different clothing styles they offer, not just total sales numbers. The bill also bans advertising for fast fashion products. Social media influencers who promote these items would face sanctions under the law.
The new rules in France send a clear message that the era of unchecked disposable fashion needs to come to an end, says Forbes, adding that fashion is responsible for roughly 10 percent of global carbon emissions. It generates over 90 million tonnes of textile waste every year.
