New EU textile labelling rules aim to reveal what garments are really made of

A new research report outlines how future EU labels could help consumers, authorities and markets distinguish durable products from greenwashing.

How can consumers know what a garment is really made of — and whether it is designed to last? A new report from the EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) places textile labelling at the heart of the bloc’s future product policy.

The report forms part of the evidence base for upcoming EU rules on ecodesign and sustainable products, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. It outlines how mandatory textile labels could work in practice, what information they must contain and how compliance could be checked across the entire value chain. The report places EU textile labelling rules at the centre of the bloc’s future product policy.

Under the proposal, garments made primarily of textile fibres would be required to carry verified information on fibre composition. Labels would need to be legible, standardised and available in all official EU languages in the countries where the product is sold. The aim is not only to inform consumers, but also to make market surveillance more effective.

A new research report outlines how future EU labels could help consumers, authorities and markets distinguish durable products from greenwashing.

Why EU textile labelling rules has become a policy issue

The background is well known. Fast fashion, complex fibre blends and vague sustainability claims have made it increasingly difficult to distinguish short-lived products from garments genuinely designed for durability, reuse and recycling.

By strengthening labelling requirements, the EU hopes to influence both consumption and production. Products that are difficult to recycle or repair would become easier to identify, while sustainability requirements could be enforced in practice rather than remaining abstract principles.

For textile producers and importers, this implies stricter obligations — but also greater regulatory clarity. Once the rules enter into force, expectations for accessing the EU market will be more transparent.

Future textile policy is not only about volumes and waste, but about information, transparency and accountability built into every garment.