The EU has reached a provisional deal to cut textile waste and tackle fast fashion. Under the new rules, textile producers will be responsible for funding the collection, sorting, and recycling of their products.

This will apply across the EU, including e-commerce sellers, 30 months after the directive takes effect. Micro-enterprises will have an extra 12 months to comply.

The rules cover clothing, accessories, footwear, linens, and curtains, with EU countries also allowed to include mattresses. Member states must address ultra-fast fashion practices when determining financial contributions to waste management schemes.

Rapporteur Anna Zalewska highlighted the Parliament’s success in ensuring producers contribute to separate textile collection while minimizing administrative burdens.

Each year, the EU generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste, with clothing and footwear accounting for 5.2 million tonnes. Currently, less than 1 per cent of textiles worldwide are recycled into new products. The deal is now set for formal approval before becoming law.