The Industry is ‘Threadbare, but Salvageable,’ Zero Waste Europe Claims
Fossil-fuel based synthetic fibers releasing microplastics. The health risks posed by hazardous chemicals. An insufficient capacity for recycling. Zero Waste Europe asserts that the textile industry must reform its practices or face the (potentially dire) consequences.
Simply put, without drastic change, the sector will fail.
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The civil society organization’s latest paper, “A Zero Waste Vision for Textiles – Chapter 2: Circular and Toxic Free Material Flows,” explores the current state of textile recycling in the European Union (EU) and proposes several policy interventions. The second chapter of the two-part series outlines what a truly circular and toxic-free system for textiles looks like as well as investigates current barriers to implementing said system.
“The state of circularity in the textile sector is notably poor, and the latest projections for reuse and recycling in the sector are everything but promising,” co-author Theresa Mörsen, waste and resources policy officer at Zero Waste Europe, said. “The overall growth in the sector will nullify any progress made on circular activities.”
The policy brief stresses the “urgent need” to phase out harmful chemicals and take on the microplastic mess.
More than 8,000 chemical substances—including PFAS—are used in the textile industry, as reported by the European Parliament. At the same time, Kant found that approximately 25 percent of global chemical outputs originate from the sector. Though Zero Waste Europe is still “lacking any kind of assessment” for many of the chemicals used in textiles, the Swedish Chemicals Agency found that in a sample of 2,450 substances, 750 (roughly 31 percent) were classified as hazardous for human health and 440 (approximately 18 percent) were classified as dangerous for the environment.
Consumers are exposed to these chemicals daily, through skin contact, inhalation or unintentional digestion. Unfortunately, the most problematic chemicals are in textiles used by pregnant women and children, who are the most vulnerable to adverse health effects.
Zero Waste Europe believes that using hazardous chemicals and limiting toxic emissions at all life cycle stages must be incorporated into product design. Furthermore, the industry needs transparency and traceability across the value chain to allow buyers to make more informed purchases.
“Unlike other products, we can’t avoid coming into contact with textiles every day of our lives. That’s why the safety of these products is vital,” said Dorota Napierska, contributor and toxic-free circular economy policy officer at Zero Waste Europe. “The presence of harmful chemicals in our clothes not only threatens public health but also makes recycling even harder—undermining the transition toward a circular system.”
On the topic of recycling, the process has the potential to play a crucial role. But only if and when manufacturers ensure high-quality, durable products while prioritizing local reuse and upcycling, according to the Brussels-based non-governmental organization. In fact, Zero Waste Europe investigated the present situation in the textile recycling arena and found that good governance is “central” when setting up a successful system. Authorities on both the national and local levels should ensure “alignment” between the local government structure, national laws and broader policy frameworks.
“If the textile industry wants a cleaner image, changes must happen at the initial phases of production and during the development of the product to ensure that recycling is sustainable, safe and enhances circularity,” said Lauriane Veillard, contributor and chemical recycling and plastic-to-fuels policy officer at Zero Waste Europe. “This report suggests concrete instruments for this much-needed makeover to respect both planetary boundaries and human health.”
The new chapter also covered Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, acknowledging them as “key drivers” for the transition toward greater circularity, considering they help finance collection, sorting and recycling activities. Zero Waste Europe recommends introducing waste management targets for EPR schemes to incentivize investment in fiber-to-fiber recycling and ban claims about recycled content at the product level that aren’t substantiated with traceability, among others.
“In view of the ongoing revision of the Waste Framework Directive, policymakers must seize the opportunity by ensuring that reuse and recycling are supported via legally binding targets in EPR systems,” Mörsen said. “Apart from this, also the incoming ecodesign for textiles has the capacity to change the entire system. Well-designed legislation can benefit the health of citizens, improve reusability and boost recyclability of products.”
