EU to ban destruction of unsold textiles and footwear

The European Union is introducing a regulation to prohibit the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear, as part of broader efforts to enhance the sustainability of products sold in the EU market. This new law, known as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, builds on the existing Ecodesign Directive, which currently applies only to energy-related products.

The updated regulation aims to improve the circularity, energy performance, and overall environmental sustainability of all products, including textiles and footwear, entering the EU market. It will set ecodesign requirements and provide information for nearly all categories of physical goods.

Under the new regulation, sustainable products must exhibit enhanced circularity and recyclability, improved energy performance, and/or reduced environmental impact throughout their lifecycle. Additionally, the regulation introduces measures to ban the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear, and it may extend similar bans to other sectors if necessary evidence supports such action.

Companies will be required to publicly disclose annual information on their websites, including the number and weight of discarded products and the reasons for their disposal.