EuRIC Textiles, the textile reuse and recycling branch of the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) welcomes the adoption of the own-initiative report on the Sustainable Textiles Strategy by the ENVI Committee on 27 April.

While EuRIC Textiles applauds the ENVI Committee’s focus on the establishment of harmonised EPR schemes for textiles placed on the market for the first time and recalling the importance of following the waste hierarchy, it is surprised to see that recycling is not included in the operations that should primarily benefit from EPR contributions. Nevertheless, EuRIC Textiles appreciates the overall ambition behind the own-initiative report and the focus placed on the textile reuse and recycling industry.

‘’We are pleased to see that the report includes a call for the inclusion of recycled fibre content in new textile products while we continue to stress that these fibres should come from post-consumer textiles. We also appreciate that it demonstrates the importance of developing end-of-waste criteria and stresses the need to establish criteria to distinguish between used goods, such as second-hand clothes and waste” said Mariska Boer, President of EuRIC Textiles. ‘’These measures are strongly supported by the European textile reuse and recycling industry and will support the whole textile value chain in moving towards a more circular economy. Our industry is key to accelerate this transition since it gives textiles a second life either through preparation for reuse or recycling” she concluded.