Fashion Brands Need to Wake Up As Extended Producer Responsibility Gets Real

In Europe and the UK there has been much discussion on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) within the fashion and textiles sector. Policies and programmes have, or are in the process of, being put in place with a 2030 target to fully address unnecessary and polluting textile waste.

This month, September 2024, California has signed off a groundbreaking bill that will make fashion brands responsible for the collection and recycling of used garments. If the bill is signed off by Governor Gavin Newsom, brands, by law, will need to financially support end of use initiatives that reuse, repair or recycle textiles.

Textile waste is a global issue and in California alone it is estimated more than 1 million tons of clothing and other textiles is thrown out on an annual basis. Under the proposed new bill, producers that sell or distribute in / into California will be required to implement and fund a programme, overseen by the Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), that will incentivise the reuse, repair and recycling of garment and textiles. California is leading the way on this initiative in the U.S. and there is growing pressure for others to follow suit.

At Fashion-Enter Ltd’s HQ in north London, thanks to Postcode Innovation Trust Funding, the manufacturing unit has been converted into a new reprocessing centre that is already incorporating repairs and reprocessing orders for brands such as; N Brown Group and Patagonia. Repairs and reprocessing along with make to demand as opposed to stockpiling are key strategies to bring those waste figures down.

At the recent edition of London Fashion Week, September 2024, the shows and presentations were awash with designers using deadstock and recycled fabrics. NEWGEN designer Ancuta Sarca (Images above) breathes new life into every piece she makes using recycled fabric cutouts and material waste. For SS25 Sarca partnered with celebrated footwear brands Crocs and Clarks, by using deadstock shoes to imaginatively repurpose into new creations. She is one of many, including this year’s Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design winner – S.S.DALEY, taking this environmentally conscious approach.

While brand textile recycling and reuse is in its infancy this reconsidered approach will no doubt impact sales figures and profit margins. However, the new policies are starting to address the bigger picture and today’s brands and designers need to adapt to ensure they are fully compliant and authentically sustainable.

If you are a designer / brand and would like support with small scale production, repurposing or repairs please contact: thefactory@fashion-enter.com