In a joint position paper, the associations of Southwest Textil and the Federal Association of the German Sporting Authority EV (BSI) are calling for more participation in industry in the design of the ecodesign regulation. The concern: too complex and over -the -fed requirements that cannot be implemented economically in practice.
As part of the EU’s Green Deal of the EU, the ecodesign regulation is intended to significantly improve the CO2 consumption of products along the life cycle. To do this, manufacturers of textile products must improve their products with regard to durability, repair, reusability and recycling. Südwesttextil and the Federal Association of the German Sporting Articles Industry EV (BSI) have shown that two relevant studies by the Research Center Joints and the Eco-Stint for Development of Measures.
Doubts about “fiber -neutral” approach to evaluating durability
The comparison shows that there are extensive proposals for promoting longevity, repairability, reusability and recycling, but the thorough examination of the actual CO₂ savings as well as economic and ecological interactions are neglected. This is visible in the details of the elaboration if both research projects use a “fiber -neutral” approach to evaluate the durability of all products. The same requirements and material tests would be proposed for natural fibers and synthetic fibers. For example, the nodule formation “Pilling” is defined as an indication of durability, although this occurs faster in shorter natural fibers than with endless synthetic fibers. Such differences would have to be taken into account.
The associations also indicate significant differences within product groups: You cannot compare a light summer jacket with simple buttons with an outdoor jacket with high performance claim with regard to the criteria durability or repair.
Conflict of goal durability and recycling
In addition, the associations draw attention to the fact that the various aspects of ecodesign compete with each other – for example on the subjects of longevity and recycling. “If the recycling proportion of the material is increased, losses in the features of durability often arise because mechanical recycling the fibers shorten,” said the position paper.
In order not to overload the bureaucracy, the associations are in favor of using proven material and product group-specific standard test procedures to check these criteria, such as the REACH regulation for the assessment of chemicals and the evaluation of ecological statements in international ISO standards. According to the associations, mandatory recyclery quotas should only be introduced if reliable verification and thus market surveillance can be guaranteed.
In addition, the associations emphasize the need to not lose sight of the economy of the proposals. For example, when it comes to repairability, there is a ten -year obligation to have spare parts from the association’s perspective “in no relation to the benefit of the overall objective of the regulation – the containment of fast fashion and resource savings.”
The associations are calling for the criteria of the ecodesign regulation to be developed in close coordination with industry so that both a practical feasibility and the actual achievement of the desired environmental goals can be ensured. “Innovative and economically sustainable solutions must be developed for a successful ecodesign that help to achieve both environmental and competitive goals. This is essential from the start,” said Südwestextil manager Edina Brenner.