The European Union’s Push for Sustainable Fashion
Fast fashion’s reliance on overproduction, waste, and exploitative practices has long plagued the fashion industry. However, the European Union (EU) is taking steps to curb this and is urging the industry to focus on sustainability through a number of transformative policies. Central to these efforts is the European Green Deal, which sets a roadmap for Europe to become climate-neutral by 2050. For readers of The WALK who may be interested in how sustainability intersects with the world of fashion, several initiatives within this framework target the fashion and textile sectors,
Courtesy of Euro News
The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles concentrates on extending the lifespan of garments and increasing the use of recycled fibers. In conjunction with this, the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will ensure that, by 2025, textiles sold in the EU will meet new durability and recyclability standards. Products will also need to include Digital Product Passports, QR-code-like tags that give specifics about a garment’s environmental footprint.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
The Directive on Green Claims works to reduce greenwashing by mandating that all sustainability claims be scientifically verified and third-party approved, ensuring transparency for consumers. For context, “greenwashing” refers to the deceptive practice of misleading the public into believing that a product is more eco-friendly than it actually is. The Directive on Green Claims is further reinforced by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), both of which require large companies to disclose the environmental impacts of their production.
Courtesy of Britannica
These policies represent a substantial shift for the industry, signaling a drive toward a more sustainable global fashion industry. They also serve as an opportunity for each of us to reevaluate the ways in which we consume fashion, urging us to stop feeding into wasteful practices and instead play our part in building a greener world.
Featured image courtesy of Vogue