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