The aid organization Fairtrade Germany has called on the EU to give greater consideration to social and economic aspects in addition to environmental problems in its sustainability strategy in the textile sector. “Clothes are among the imported products with the second highest risk of human rights violations. This fact is ignored in the current EU strategy, »said Claudia Brück, board member at Fairtrade Germany, on Tuesday in Cologne.
“Circular economy is good and right, but jeans that are made by workers and cotton farmers are not sustainable just because they are recyclable,” said Brück. That is why more needs to be said about the common purchasing practices of many companies. These currently leave little room for necessary investments in environmentally friendly production, occupational safety or living wages.
At the end of March, the EU Commission presented proposals for more sustainable, i.e. more durable, textiles that can be more easily reused or recycled. For example, mandatory minimum values for the proportion of recycled materials and measures against environmentally harmful microplastics are planned. The European Parliament and the EU states are currently dealing with the project. In the end, they have to agree and can still push through changes in negotiations. (dpa)
