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Europe is putting billions into textile EPR. But what should the money actually pay for?
Europe’s new textile producer responsibility systems are set to bring major new funding into collection and recycling. Now a different question is moving up the agenda: should that money also be used to keep clothes in use for longer through repair, reuse and resale?
2 days ago
Three signs that Europe is rethinking circularity
Second-hand is growing, textile recycling remains tiny, and policymakers are beginning to look upstream. Three signs that Europe’s idea of circularity is starting to change.
Sep 9
Most textile waste is still missing
Only 15 percent of discarded household textiles and footwear in the EU are collected separately, according to the European Environment Agency’s new textile module. The same data estimates that Europeans generate around 16 kilograms of textile waste per person every year. That leaves a basic question at the heart of Europe’s emerging textile policy: where does the remaining 85 percent go? Across the EU, extended producer responsibility systems are being introduced to finance c
Aug 6
Repair works. Policy lags.
New data from the European Environment Agency gives repair a striking result: 95 percent of the textiles brought to participating European Repair Cafés in 2025 could be repaired. The figure suggests that many garments discarded or brought in for help are not at the end of their useful life. They may need a new zip, a repaired seam, a button or another relatively limited intervention before they can be used again. Yet repair often remains a minor part of textile policy. Extend
Aug 6
The ban is here. Where will the clothes go?
A new EU ban on destroying unsold clothing, accessories and footwear took effect on 19 July. It initially applies to large companies, while medium-sized businesses will follow in 2030. Small and micro-enterprises are exempt. The principle is straightforward: new and usable products should remain in use rather than be incinerated, landfilled or otherwise destroyed. Companies are expected to prioritise measures such as discounted sales, alternative markets, donations, repair an
Aug 6
How do you regulate a problem that may not exist?
The Basel process was expected to produce new controls on textile waste exports. Instead, it has exposed uncertainty over what counts as waste, what is actually being traded and whether the original diagnosis was correct.
Aug 6
Evidence under pressure
After Basel’s OEWG 15 meeting in Geneva, the debate over used textiles is moving further into formal policy work. That makes the evidence behind the claims more important than before.
The central question is whether there is reliable evidence that large-scale exports of unusable clothing are driving a waste crisis in receiving countries, and whether that evidence is strong enough to justify new international controls on second-hand trade.
Jul 5
Waste or reuse?
After the Basel Convention’s OEWG 15 meeting in Geneva, the formal process on used textiles and textile waste is moving forward. The work ahead will focus on definitions, guidance and possible future steps — with one question now at the centre: how should reusable clothing be distinguished from textile waste?
Jul 5
Second-hand industry appears cautiously optimistic after Geneva waste talks
The second-hand and textile reuse sector appears cautiously optimistic after last week’s Basel Convention negotiations in Geneva. No new global controls for used clothes were decided, but industry representatives contacted by Reuse News describe the discussions as more constructive than many had feared.
Jul 2
Second-hand clothes are moving into global waste. But the proof is still missing.
Used textiles and textile waste moved further into global waste negotiations in Geneva. But Reuse News’ reporting shows that the evidence behind claims of large-scale second-hand waste exports remains disputed.
Jul 2
The NGO behind the textile waste narrative and the millions that followed
The OR Foundation helped popularise the claim that up to 40 percent of imported second-hand clothing in Ghana becomes waste. As the narrative gained influence in media and policy circles, the organisation's funding and global profile grew dramatically.
Jun 16
How the myth of textile waste is reshaping a global circular system
A year-long Reuse News investigation examines the evidence behind textile waste export claims and how those claims are influencing global textile policy, trade and circular systems.
Jun 7
Keeping perspective
Over the past few years, few issues have received more attention in textile policy discussions than exports of used clothing. Reports, campaigns and regulatory proposals have increasingly focused on what happens to garments after they leave Europe. Questions about waste, exports and end-of-life management now dominate much of the public debate. Yet the numbers suggest a different perspective. According to the European Environment Agency, textile consumption in the EU generate
Jun 7
A shifting narrative?
The debate around used clothing exports appears to be evolving. A few years ago, public discussions were largely dominated by claims that vast quantities of second-hand clothing were being exported to Africa only to become waste. Figures such as the widely cited "40%" estimate became central to media coverage, NGO campaigns and policy discussions. Those claims continue to play an important role. But increasingly, a second argument is emerging. Many organisations are now focus
Jun 7
The deeper we looked, the less sense it made
Over the course of my career, I have investigated complex issues, controversial claims and political debates. I have seen industries defend the indefensible. I have seen campaigners exaggerate problems. I have seen policymakers make mistakes. But I cannot remember encountering a case quite like this one. What has surprised me most is not that people disagree about second-hand clothing exports. Disagreement is normal. What has surprised me is how many important political and r
Jun 6
A story becoming actual policy
The debate over textile waste is no longer confined to conferences, NGO reports and industry discussions. It is increasingly shaping legislation and international policy. In the EU, separate collection of textile waste became mandatory in January 2025. Extended Producer Responsibility schemes are being introduced across member states, requiring producers to finance collection, sorting and treatment of used textiles. The EU's revised Waste Shipment Regulation will also tighten
Jun 6
Why the Basel Convention matters
The Basel Convention is the world's primary treaty governing the international movement of hazardous and other wastes. Originally adopted in 1989, its purpose was to prevent countries from shifting environmental burdens across borders. For decades, used clothing largely existed outside the centre of Basel discussions. That changed in 2025, when parties agreed to begin work specifically examining used textiles and textile waste. The key question is deceptively simple: when is
Jun 6
Basel: Most parties hasn't even responded
When the Basel Convention invited comments on used textiles and textile waste, responses arrived from governments, industry associations, NGOs, charities, academics and international organisations. On paper, the process is open to all 191 parties to the convention. In practice, only a small share submitted formal comments. Twelve parties and twenty-two observers participated in the consultation. The limited participation raises important questions. Countries with extensive po
Jun 6
What is at stake?
The debate over textile waste often focuses on environmental risks. Less attention is sometimes given to what existing reuse systems already deliver. Every year, large volumes of used clothing are collected, sorted and redistributed through international second-hand markets. These systems provide affordable clothing to consumers, create economic activity and extend the life of products that might otherwise be discarded. Research has consistently shown that extending product l
Jun 6
Everyone talks about textile waste exports. Nobody can explain the business model.
Reuse News investigated one of the central assumptions behind the textile waste debate: that someone profits from exporting waste through second hand trade channels. After more than a year of reporting, no documented business model could be identified.
Jun 6
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