The European Parliament’s Environment Committee calls for the end of fast fashion.
MEPs, who belong to the Environment Committee, have drafted tougher rules designed to encourage European Union countries to produce circular, sustainable and socially responsible textiles, according to a European Parliament statement on Thursday.
In order to really be able to fight fast fashion, the phenomenon must first be clearly defined. In its draft, the committee defines the term as “large quantities of inferior garments at low prices”.
End of overproduction and consumption
The draft primarily focuses on stricter regulations to combat excessive production and consumption. MEPs are calling for textile products sold in the EU to be more durable, more easily reusable, repairable and also recyclable. In addition, products should consist largely of recycled fibers and be free of hazardous substances. The well-being of people and animals must also be respected throughout the supply chain.
This also means that the production processes are less energy- and water-intensive, the use and release of pollutants is avoided and material consumption is reduced. The Commission and its Member States should push this in the future and set separate targets for the prevention, collection, reuse and recycling of textile waste when revising the Waste Framework Directive.
Other recommendations from the Committee include an explicit ban on the destruction of unsold or returned goods, regulations to stop greenwashing and the adoption of fair and ethical trading practices.
Consumers must be informed
In order to fight fast fashion on the consumer side as well, there is also a call for them to be better informed in order to help them make responsible decisions. The introduction of a “digital product passport”, which the committee says should be included in the forthcoming revision of the Ecodesign Regulation, could help here.
“Consumers alone cannot reform the global textile sector through their buying habits. If we allow the market to regulate itself, we open the doors to a fast fashion model that exploits people and the planet’s resources,” said committee spokeswoman Delara Burkhardt. “The EU must legally oblige manufacturers and large fashion companies to operate more sustainably.”