Did you know that the plastic problem might be hiding in your wardrobe? Synthetic clothing fibres such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, or elastane are made from plastic polymers. These plastics can shed and break down into microplastics when clothes are made, washed, or thrown away - even just simply wearing the product can shed microplastics.
Connect with leading marine scientists and join an interactive policy exchange on the European Parliament esplanade in Brussels for EU Ocean Week 2026! In collaboration with Seas At Risk and The Pew Charitable Trusts, we invite you to join scientists and experts on textiles and microplastics to discuss solutions for microplastic pollution from textiles. Come and find our giant whale outside the European Parliament and add your messages of support to curb microplastic pollution!
The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will require mandatory minimum ecodesign requirements for apparel and a Digital Product Passport for all garments. Watch the webinar recording as we assess the timeline and progress of this delegated act and discuss opportunities to get involved.
The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will require mandatory minimum ecodesign requirements for apparel and a Digital Product Passport for all garments. Join this ECOS webinar as we assess the timeline and progress of this delegated act and discuss opportunities to get involved.
We are looking for a highly motivated Programme Officer to join our Circular Economy & Nature team as soon as possible. The successful candidate will work on standardisation, policy developments, and project management related to ecodesign and energy labelling, in the framework of the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), with a focus on textiles, apparel, and footwear.
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) offers the opportunity to limit microplastic pollution from clothing - but the Commission’s preliminary study on apparel does not offer any performance, or even information, requirements, despite existing research that identifies hotspots of microplastic pollution across the life cycle of textiles, as well as design and manufacturing techniques that can reduce microplastics shedding from clothing.
Textiles are among the most significant sources of environmental microplastic pollution in the EU. The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation offers an opportunity to introduce mandatory ecodesign requirements on microplastics release to help address this growing environmental concern. We outline recommendations for the delegated act on ecodesign for apparel, drawing on published standardised methodologies (ISO 4484 series).
Press release, Brussels | The European Commission’s first Working Plan for implementing the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) has been published. It confirms the list of priority products this policy will tackle first to improve their sustainability – with almost all products on the EU market due to be covered eventually. The list includes textile apparel, furniture, mattresses, tyres, iron and steel, and aluminium.
Press briefing, Brussels | By 19 April, the European Commission will adopt its first Working Plan to implement the new EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). It will confirm which products will be addressed first before developing performance requirements to improve their environmental sustainability – including measures on durability and repair. The Working Plan will supplement other ongoing work on ESPR implementation, such as a ban on the destruction of unsold goods. What can we expect and when? Find out in our Q&A.
The textiles industry is too big to be sustainable. In our report we unpick the unsustainable and unfair status quo and reimagine a sector that uses fewer resources but promotes more creativity and collaboration, ensuring dignity and social justice for all.
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
