Rules for reusing and recycling textiles
Around the world, textile production causes more pollution than almost any other industry. It also wastes a lot of natural resources. The government wants to reduce pollution and textile waste, such as old clothes, shoes and bedding. It is aiming to ensure that by 2050 all textiles are made from recycled or sustainable materials.
The environmental impact of textiles
Textiles have a huge impact on the environment. Producing them requires large amounts of land, water and energy, as well as a lot of chemicals. The volume of textile waste is growing too. In the Netherlands, more than 50% of textiles ultimately end up in household wastebins. And with an increasing volume being produced and sold, this percentage is expected to grow. People are also not keeping their clothes as long as they used to, less clothing is being reused, and hardly any clothing is being recycled into new textiles.
Textile producers are responsible for reuse
In the policy programme for circular textiles 2020-2025, the government introduced measures to reduce the environmental impact of textiles and to ensure that more textiles are reused and recycled.
One of the measures in the programme is extended producer responsibility (EPR). From 1 July 2023, textile producers have been responsible for what happens to their products after they are discarded. This is the phase in products’ life cycles when consumers are finished using them. Producers must ensure that these waste textiles can be collected for reuse and recycling. They may be fined if they do not meet specific targets for this.
The rules apply to all producers that sell the following types of new textiles in the Netherlands:
- clothing, such as shirts, sweaters and trousers;
- bedding, such as duvet covers and sheets;
- table linen, such as tablecloths;
- other household linen, such as towels and tea towels.
Consumers must be able to dispose of their old textiles for free
Textile producers must make it possible for consumers to dispose of their old textiles at any time and at no charge. It is up to the producers how they want to collect discarded textiles. For example:
- consumers deposit their old textiles in designated containers;
- consumers return used textiles to the shop where they bought them.
Textile producers must inform consumers how they can dispose of their old textiles and how discarded textiles are processed.
Report the volume of textiles sold, reused and recycled
Producers also have to provide data on the volume of textiles that they sell, reuse and recycle. In particular, they must report:
- from 2024, the volume of textiles they sell in the Netherlands;
- from 2026, the volume of textiles they reuse and recycle.
New rules from 2027
The government is changing a number of rules for producers in the second policy programme for circular textiles 2025-2030. These will probably enter into effect in the Netherlands in 2027. The new rules are necessary because of changes being made to the European rules in 2025. For example, extended producer responsibility will also apply to shoes.