Fashion Industry Warns Against Weakening EU Environmental Rules

The European Union was the world’s largest importer of textiles and apparel in 2023, bringing in goods worth nearly €177 billion, according to the World Trade Organization. Countries such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain led the demand, fueled in part by the rapid growth of fast fashion brands like Shein and Temu, which offer low-cost clothing at scale.

This surge in consumption has significantly increased waste. Estimates suggest that European consumers purchase around 42 clothing items per year and discard approximately 12 kilograms of textiles annually, much of which ends up in landfills.

Industry Emissions and the Push for Collaboration

The global textile sector is a major contributor to climate change, producing around one gigaton of CO₂ emissions each year—roughly 6 to 8 percent of global emissions. A large share, about 70 percent, comes from the manufacturing stage.

Colin Browne, CEO of the non-profit alliance Cascale, says the industry has significant potential to cut emissions if companies work together across the supply chain. He suggests that coordinated efforts among brands, manufacturers, and retailers could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the sector by as much as 45 percent by 2030.

Central to this transformation is the development of a circular supply chain, where materials are reused and waste is minimized. While some progress has been made in production and distribution, Browne notes that the final stage—bringing used products back into the system—remains underdeveloped.

Sustainability and Profitability Can Align

Browne argues that becoming more sustainable does not necessarily mean higher costs for businesses. Instead, he says companies can achieve both environmental goals and financial performance by selecting better materials and designing products more responsibly.

He also points out that consumer behavior plays a major role in driving production, with demand often shaped by social trends and online influence. As a result, companies tend to follow purchasing patterns when determining output.

Concerns Over EU Regulation Rollbacks

While Europe has been seen as a global leader in sustainability policies, there are growing concerns that key environmental regulations—particularly those related to corporate reporting—could be weakened.

Browne cautions that scaling back such measures would be a serious misstep. He stresses that strong regulatory frameworks are essential for holding companies accountable and guiding the industry toward meaningful climate action.

According to Cascale, maintaining robust environmental standards presents an opportunity for Europe to continue leading global efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry.