The European Union has formally adopted amendments to the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), introducing mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles across all member states.
The updated legislation has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, and member states are required to incorporate the directive into national law by 17 June 2027.
The new rules aim to improve the management of textile waste across the EU, placing more responsibility on producers to fund and organise systems for the collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling of textile products.
Currently, four EU countries have operational EPR schemes for textiles, while two others have completed public consultations on implementing similar systems. The directive is expected to lead to broader adoption across the bloc in the coming years.
Aimee Campanella, development director for textiles EPR at Reconomy, a company specialising in circular economy services, noted that the legislation sets a clear timeline for compliance. She added: “Brands that act now by optimising product design and building strong reuse and recycling partnerships will lower future costs and gain consumer trust in a market increasingly driven by accountability.”
The directive is part of the EU’s broader efforts to reduce environmental impacts and support a circular economy by shifting waste management responsibilities toward producers.
