EuRIC Unveils ‘EU Recyclers’ Manifesto’ To Boost Textile Circularity By 2030
The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) Textiles Branch has released its “EU Recyclers’ Manifesto: Increasing textiles circularity by 2030”, outlining five key policy recommendations to accelerate circularity in the textile sector.
With each EU citizen generating approximately 16 kg of textile waste annually, but only 4.4 kg being separately collected for reuse and recycling, EuRIC stresses the need for urgent measures to reduce landfill and incineration rates. The manifesto highlights the ongoing crisis in Europe’s textile collection and recycling sector, exacerbated by rising costs, low demand, and ultra-fast fashion.
To address these challenges and drive textile circularity by 2030, EuRIC calls for longer product lifecycles, increased use of recycled textile fibres, and enhanced textile recycling, which currently sees less than 1% of materials being recycled into new clothing.
Key measures proposed include:
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes
- Ecodesign requirements
- Better consumer education via the Digital Product Passport (DPP)
- EU End-of-Waste criteria
- Fair-trade practices and stricter compliance monitoring
“By creating an environment where innovation thrives and circularity is rewarded, EuRIC aims to reduce the textile sector’s environmental impact, boost circularity in Europe, and create new economic opportunities for reuse and recycling operators,” said Mariska Boer, President of EuRIC’s Textiles Branch.
EuRIC’s initiative underscores the need for a unified policy approach to achieve a truly circular textiles economy in Europe.
