EU to crackdown on fast fashion
Europe is to crack down on fast fashion through proposals to make the clothing made and worn there more durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable.
The sustainable textiles strategy, unveiled on Wednesday, will target clothes at every stage of use, including design, repair and recycling.
The initiative aims to boost the market for sustainably made garments.
Manufacturers will have to ensure their clothes are eco-friendly and hard-wearing.
And consumers will be given more information on how to reuse, repair and recycle their clothes.
Iona Popescu of environmental NGO, the Environmental Coal
ition on Standards, said the rules to be announced by the European Commission are designed to bring in longer-lasting products that can be used multiple times rather than worn a few times then thrown away.
“The Commission seeks to put a halt on fast fashion by introducing rules on textiles to be used in the European market,” she said.
Similar rules will apply to the likes of electronics, such as smartphones, and furniture under an initiative known as the Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI), she added.
It’s estimated that less than 1% of all clothing worldwide is recycled.
BBC/Hauwa Abu
