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?

At the World Circular Economy Forum last week, the Global Action Partnership for EPR — involving the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, GIZ, OECD, UNEP, WWF and others — argued that most EPR schemes still focus on collection, sorting and recycling. Those functions matter, but the group says they are not enough on their own to deliver circular economy outcomes. Its proposal for “second-generation EPR” includes eco-modulated fees and ring-fenced funding designed to push systems further upstream.

For textiles, that distinction matters. A garment can retain more of its value by being repaired, resold or reused than by being broken down into fibre. Yet producer responsibility systems have traditionally focused on what happens once products enter the waste system.

The shift is also visible elsewhere. This week, the ECOSYSTEX conference in Antwerp gathers textile projects under the heading “Circular textiles beyond recycling”. One project being demonstrated is a semi-automated repair station at Belgian reuse organisation De Kringwinkel, designed to reduce repair time and make garment repair possible for staff without traditional sewing skills.

The European Commission has also opened a consultation on whether VAT rules should change to better support circular business models, with second-hand goods named as one of three focus areas.

None of this means recycling is becoming less important. Europe will still need more capacity for textiles that can no longer be used. But the policy discussion is widening: from paying mainly for collection and treatment towards examining how rules and producer fees can help products stay in use for longer.

For textile EPR, that could become one of its defining design choices.