The EU is banning the destruction of unsold clothes. Finally.
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
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 recommerce.
But major questions remain.
Stopping destruction doesn’t solve where the excess products will go.Recycling systems are already overwhelmed, resale markets can only absorb so much, and exporting the problem elsewhere isn’t a real solution. The industry still needs to solve overproduction and build the infrastructure to handle textile waste at scale.
However, we welcome this policy and are looking forward to seeing a more circular industry in the future.
Source: European Environment AgencyPhoto by Hannah Morgan on Unsplash
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