A new wave of sustainability rules and the fashion industry’s response

Welcome to the first edition of Tap In: a monthly round up of must-read news at the intersection of retail, technology and sustainability, brought to you by the team at EON. 

This month global environmental policies have made headlines as a slew of forthcoming regulations present big changes for the apparel and footwear industries. In Europe alone, the industry is facing 16 pieces of legislation, as policymakers look to crack down on greenwashing and take on fast fashion.

EU Parliament votes to adopt Digital Product Passports

Today, the European Parliament voted in favor of the proposed EU Digital Product Passport regulation by a huge majority (473 votes in favor, 110 against and 69 abstentions). This vote brings the EU one step closer toward the legislation coming into effect, which will require that all products sold in the EU have a Digital Product Passport.

"The lifetime of a product should not be limited through design features… A new “product passport” containing accurate and up to date information would be set up to increase transparency and enable consumers to make informed purchasing choices."

• Key takeaway: Digital Product Passports should already be on every brand’s radar and now is the type to begin piloting to prepare for portfolio-wide rollout in the next couple of years.

New rules will make textile producers responsible for the full product lifecycle

Last week, the European Commission announced its proposal to introduce  mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes that require producers to cover the costs of management of textile waste. It will force companies to collect textiles separately from 2025 and make it illegal to export textile waste to countries ill-equipped to manage it.

• Key takeaway: Now is the time for brands to invest in collection, sorting, re-use, resale and recycling strategies, and the technology infrastructure to power full lifecycle management.

Fashion councils push back at proposed EU ecodesign regulations

Is the industry nervous in the face of impending legislation that could change the way it does business? A paper released by the European Fashion Alliance in response to the proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) shared concerns that the EU’s newly proposed regulations will dent the industry’s competitiveness, stifle creativity and over-inflate costs.

• Key takeaway: For many brands, these regulatory changes present an existential challenge

At Global Fashion Summit, policymakers take center stage

At fashion’s flagship sustainability event, the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, high-profile policymakers from Europe and the US took center stage for the first time, sharing that regulators are set to take action against fashion fashion and greenwashing. LVMH’s Antoine Arnault made a surprise call for a new, luxury-focused sustainability pact, while the Summit featured its first Global Textiles Policy Forum.

• Key takeaway: Regulation will be one of the top concerns for brands over the next few years. Preparing early will be a competitive advantage and there are a number of solutions available – from digital product passports to material traceability.