📜Under the EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD), EU Member States were required to establish separate textile waste collection systems by January 1, 2025. This mandates that municipalities implement systems for the separate collection of textiles for reuse, preparation for reuse, and recycling.
The revised WFD also introduces mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles. These schemes require textile producers, fashion brands and retailers, to finance the collection, sorting, and recycling of textile waste. To date there is no exact deadline for implementing these EPR systems, and this will depend on the final adoption date of the proposed amendment.
Once the directive is formally adopted, Member States will have 18 months to transpose it into national law. Following this, EPR schemes must be operational within 30 months of the directive’s entry into force. However, the European Parliament has advocated for a shorter timeline, proposing that Member States establish systems within 18 months of the directive’s adoption. This means that EPR systems will be in place by late 2026 or early 2027, depending on the actual adoption date and the final agreed timeline.
Current Implementation Status
ℹ️ As of mid-2025,the European Union’s harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for textiles is gaining momentum, with several member states actively implementing or preparing for compliance.
France: A Pioneer in Textile EPR
France introduced its textile EPR scheme, Refashion (formerly Eco-TLC), in 2007, covering end-of-use clothing, linen, and shoes. The policy mandates that producers finance the collection, recycling, and disposal of their products. By 2022, the target was to collect 50% of all textiles put on the market, with 95% of collected textiles being reused or recycled. However, as of early 2025, the scheme had not yet achieved its government-set target collection rate of 50%. While the collection target was not met, the scheme achieved relatively high rates of reuse and recovery of collected and sorted material, significantly outperforming the European average reuse rate.
Netherlands: Early Adopter of Textile EPR
The Netherlands has been at the forefront of textile EPR implementation. Since July 2023, the Dutch EPR Decree has required producers to:
- Report the expected number of textiles to be brought onto the Dutch market.
- Create a discarded textile collection system.
- Prepare a percentage of the collected discarded textiles for recycling and reuse.
- Ensure that part of the collected textile waste is reused for clothing or household textiles.
By 2025, producers must achieve a minimum of 50% recycling and 20% reuse of textiles, with targets increasing to 75% recycling and 25% reuse by 2030.
Sweden: Phased Implementation
Sweden is introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles in phases, aiming to improve waste management and promote circularity. The current draft legislation will require producers to finance and organize the collection and processing of textile waste, including clothing, household textiles, bags, and accessories. Sweden has set ambitious targets for textile waste reduction, with a 70% reduction by 2028, 80% by 2032, and 90% by 2036. Furthermore, the draft legislation aims for 90% of collected textile waste to be prepared for reuse or recycling from 2028 onwards.
Latvia: Recent Adoption
Latvia introduced its textile EPR scheme on July 1, 2024. Producers are required to bear the costs of collecting, processing, and recycling textile waste. Producers must report quantities and pay fees either directly to the government or by joining a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) under the national EPR system. Although the scheme operates alongside the existing packaging system, it functions as a separate compliance structure specifically for textiles.
Hungary: Ongoing Developments
Hungary has implemented mandatory licensing for textile producers since July 2023, requiring an EPR fee and quantity declaration. While cooperation with Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) is possible, it remains voluntary for retailers.
The country is in the process of further developing its textile EPR framework.
Belgium: Early Preparations
Belgium initiated the first phase of its textile EPR scheme in 2022. The Belgian fashion federation, Creamoda, and other industry stakeholders established Circletex vzw, a voluntary producer organisation designed to support future compliance with EPR obligations. Although not yet mandatory, Circletex serves as a collaborative platform linking producers, collectors, and processors.
The country is expected to implement full EPR obligations in the coming years to align with the EU Waste Framework Directive.
Spain: Preparatory Measures
Spain is set to implement its textile EPR obligations in 2025. In anticipation, major retailers, including Inditex (Zara), H&M, Decathlon, Ikea, and Primark, launched a voluntary pilot scheme in April 2025 to collect discarded clothes. The initiative aims to establish collection containers in various locations, promoting the separation and recycling of textiles and shoes. This pilot also anticipates upcoming EU regulations expected in 2026, which will require the separate collection of textile waste across member states.
Italy: EPR Under Consultation
Italy is in the process of developing its national textile EPR scheme. A public consultation on a draft decree was launched in April 2025, outlining obligations for producers to finance the collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling of textiles, including clothing, footwear, and home textiles. While separate textile collection has been mandatory since January 2022, full EPR implementation details are still pending final legislation.
Germany: Anticipated Implementation
Germany is expected to implement its textile EPR obligations soon. The country is actively developing its EPR framework, with plans to establish systems for the collection, recycling, and disposal of textile waste. Details regarding specific timelines and requirements are forthcoming.
EU-Wide Harmonisation Efforts
ℹ️ As Member States move toward compliance, the EU’s harmonised EPR framework serves as a foundation for coordinated action on textile waste. Although national approaches differ in terms of pace and structure, the shared objective remains to hold all producers accountable for the full lifecycle of their products, from production to end-of-life management.
In the coming years, the focus is expected to shift from policy adoption to practical implementation, strengthening collection systems, improving sorting and recycling infrastructure, building partnerships across the value chain, and encouraging circular design practices that reduce environmental impact and promote reuse.
ℹ️ Please get in touch with us if you think you’re affected by textile EPR and require assistance understanding your obligations (cglobal-sales@landbellgroup.com).
Published June 18, 2025
This article was generated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.