European Cities Lead The Charge Against Fast Fashion With Local Solutions

A new report shows that European cities are setting a precedent by acting on fast fashion at the local level—even without strong guidance from governments. The report showcases practical examples where cities have demonstrated solutions to the textile waste crisis and provided guidance to concerned local policymakers.

The new report, “Cities and consumption: Local solutions to curb textile waste and combat fast fashion” published by Zero Waste Europe, examines the measures cities can implement to tackle fast fashion challenges. The report shows a number of pioneering measures that local authorities can take to encourage and nudge citizens towards more sustainable resource use.

Some of these initiatives include restricting advertisements in public spaces to reduce consumerist pressures (Lille, Grenoble, and Lyon); implementing repair incentives to reimburse citizens for repair costs (Austria); supporting product-as-a-service models such as clothing libraries like Copenhagen’s Det Kollektive Klædeskab to promote sharing and reduce waste; hosting sustainable fashion events to unite ethical fashion actors (Ghent’s Fair Fashion Fest and Geneva’s GardReObes); and many more.

The report features several standout initiatives:
Turku, Finland: Demonstrating a comprehensive approach, Turku invested in textile circularity infrastructure and joined over 30 mayors worldwide in signing the Slow Fashion Declaration. The city advocates for systemic change, urging entities like the EU and G7 to implement regulations that support slow fashion entrepreneurs and challenge multinational fast fashion companies.
Nantes, France: Nantes provides public funding for the “Slow Fashion Training” programme about the environmental and social costs of fast fashion. The training was developed in partnership with the Audencia’s Positive Impact Chair with specialists from the fashion industry.

Flanders, Belgium: Flanders provides robust public support for reuse through social enterprise schemes. By offering wage support for collecting, sorting and preparing textiles for reuse, the region addresses key barriers to textile circularity. Flanders has set a reuse target of 8 kg per capita, achieved through designated reuse centres.

Theresa Mörsen, Waste & Resources Policy Officer at Zero Waste Europe, states: “From the case studies in our report, it’s evident that while each initiative addresses fast fashion waste differently, they collectively demonstrate remarkable ambition, innovation and potential for broader impact.”

The current state of fast fashion has led to increased consumption and significant environmental and social challenges. Global fibre production for textiles has more than doubled since 2000. The average EU citizen discards 16 kg of textile waste yearly, totalling 6.95 million tonnes in 2020. The average capture rate for textile waste is only 12%. There are already enough clothes in the world to dress the next six generations, but production continues to grow rapidly.

While the future steps of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) remain under discussion within the European Union, cities across Europe are proactively addressing textile waste and promoting sufficiency.

Jack McQuibban, Head of Local Implementation at Zero Waste Europe, states, “It should not fall to cities to curb the unsustainable practices of fast fashion companies. Yet as this report showcases, regardless of a lack of strong EU and national legislation on this issue, some cities are beginning to set a precedent on initial steps to promote more sufficiency-based lifestyles that respect our planetary boundaries.”