Textiles sector employs 1.5 million Europeans, creating local jobs, business opportunities and more possibilities to be creative. The sector is also one of the least sustainable industries worldwide. A resource intensive and wasteful sector, it is among the top three pressures on water and land use and the top five for raw materials use and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Global textiles production almost doubled between 2000 and 2015, and the consumption of clothing and footwear is expected to increase by 63% by 2030, from 62 million tonnes now to 102 million tonnes in 2030.

Circular fashion benefits small business in particular, enabling them to offer new services, such as restoration, customisation and tailoring, and providing an increased customer base. At the same time, costs can be reduced due to savings from better resource productivity and risk reduction from improved inventory management

To make production and consumption of textiles more sustainable, the EU is redesigning the fashion industry so consumers can make more sustainable choices when shopping for clothes. The EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, adopted by the European Commission on 30 March 2022, addresses the production and consumption of textiles, whilst recognising the importance of the textiles sector. It implements the commitments of the European Green Deal, the new circular economy action plan and the industrial strategy.

The Commission has launched a multilingual campaign – ReSet The Trend – to engage Europeans in the battle against fast fashion and raise public awareness about the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. Under the motto #ReFashionNow, the campaign attempts to address this problem, raising awareness about the environmental, social, economic and health-related benefits of transforming the textiles sector and the opportunities that sustainable fashion opens up for both businesses and consumers. Τhe campaign is meant to empower young Europeans to become role models and make fast fashion out of fashion. 

Source: Directorate-General for Environment