Around 4–9% of textiles in the EU are destroyed before ever being worn — burned, landfilled, exported, or downcycled. That will change on 19 July 2026, when the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) bans large companies from destroying unsold apparel, footwear, and accessories. Reporting requirements follow in 2027.The ban pushes brands to rethink overproduction, returns, and excess inventory, and could accelerate circular models like resale, repair, and recomm

The Global Risks Report 2026 is out — We have a new risk in town: Geoeconomic Confrontation. This year’s report introduces a new dominant risk: Geoeconomic Confrontation. More broadly, uncertainty is the defining theme of the global risk outlook for 2026. Prepare for a bumpy ride ahead. For those of us working with Double Materiality Assessments, this is highly relevant. By systematically assessing Impacts, Risks and Opportunities (IROs), companies are forced to look beyond t