Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles
End-to-end solution for producers navigating textile Extended Producer Responsibility. Explore our global service-offering here.
What is textile EPR?
Textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) places responsibility on producers to manage the full lifecycle of textile products, from design and production through to end-of-life.
This means products such as garments, footwear and household textiles are no longer only a producer’s responsibility at the point of sale, but throughout use, reuse, recycling and disposal. Under textile EPR, producers must take accountability for how their products are collected, sorted, reused, recycled or responsibly disposed of.
The aim is to shift textiles away from a linear “make, use, dispose” model and towards a circular system, where materials are kept in use for as long as possible and waste becomes a valuable resource.
Book an assessmentWhy is EPR for Textiles needed?
The fashion and textiles sector is one of the most resource-intensive industries in the world. High levels of consumption, short product lifecycles and limited reuse and recycling infrastructure have resulted in significant environmental impact.
As global legislation accelerates to address these challenges, compliance is no longer optional. Across Europe and beyond, multiple textile-related regulations are emerging, creating a complex and fast-moving regulatory landscape for producers.
Reconomy helps businesses stay ahead of this change, simplifying textile EPR requirements while enabling more sustainable, circular outcomes.
Book an assessmentDownload Reconomy's Textiles EPR Strategy 2030
Download your copy here today
When is textile EPR coming into force?
Textile EPR is already active in some countries and will become mandatory across the EU.
- By 2027: Textile EPR legislation must be implemented in all EU Member States
- From 2027 onwards: Producers must report data, organise collection systems and pay EPR fees
Other regions, including parts of North America, are also progressing towards textile EPR frameworks.
How do I get my business Textiles EPR-ready?
If your business sells textiles directly to consumers in the EU, Textile EPR regulations will apply to you. To remain compliant, and avoid penalties, it’s critical to act now.
Follow our 6 step guide to get your organisation fully Textiles EPR-ready:
1) Assess your obligations: Know where and when you’ll be obligated under Textiles EPR regulations
2) Setup data systems: Have systems in place for the collection and management of your data
3) Budget: Understand what your fees will be to allow accurate budgeting
4) Register: Join a scheme to handle your obligations against regulations.
5) Report: Track and declare what you sell.
6) Pay EPR fees: You will need to pay Textiles EPR fees based on your reported data.
Benefits and outcomes of Textiles EPR implementation
Textile EPR can deliver significant environmental and commercial benefits when implemented effectively.
By encouraging circular design, EPR supports more durable, repairable and recyclable products, reducing fabric waste and reliance on virgin resources. Separate collection and improved sorting systems help keep high-value textiles in circulation through reuse, repair, rental, resale and upcycling.
Over time, EPR can reduce microfibre leakage, improve traceability and transparency, and accelerate circular economy outcomes across the textile sector.
Reconomy’s Textiles EPR Impact Assessment
Introducing Reconomy’s Textile EPR Impact Assessment – a tailored consultancy service designed for large businesses navigating the complexities of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) environmental regulation.
Whether you’re expanding into new markets or future-proofing your current operations, this service provides the insight and structure you need to act with confidence.
Our Textiles EPR Impact Assessment will:
- Monitor global legislation – Stay ahead of evolving EPR rules across Europe and other key international markets
- Map material and market obligations – Identify which textiles and countries will trigger compliance requirements
- Forecast cost exposure – Estimate impact of compliance fees using market intelligence and projected fee structures
- Assess data readiness – Evaluate your internal systems and identify any data reporting gaps
- Deliver an actionable compliance roadmap – Receive a tailored checklist to reduce risk, close gaps, and ensure timely compliance
Why act now?
While deadlines may seem a few years away, Textiles EPR is already in effect in several countries, and other regions will follow suit ahead of the EU's timeline. It’s critical to begin preparing now, as early action will save time, money, and reduce business risk. Here's why your business needs to act now:
Why partner with Reconomy for Textiles EPR?
With over 25 years of experience, we’re more than ready to help you navigate Textiles EPR. We provide our partners with:
Proven global reach
Through our brands, we’ve been helping our customer comply with legislation and environmental regulations around the world since 1997. Our deep-rooted relationships with environmental regulators, policymakers, and industry bodies mean we’re actively involved in shaping the future of Textiles EPR.
Unmatched scale and expertise
Today, we manage 40+ PROs across 15 countries, covering 5 key material streams, giving us unmatched insight into regulatory, operational, and data reporting requirements. As Textiles EPR expands, we’re actively planning to establish in-country Textiles PROs.
Your textile EPR partner
Our unique footprint and end-to-end service offering means that we can support you with all aspects of Textiles EPR including data management, take-back and digital product passports. Making us your reliable long-term Textiles EPR partner.
Book a Textile EPR Impact assessment here
FAQs
Explore some of the most frequently asked questions surrouding Textiles EPR policy.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in textiles is a policy that means manufacturers, retailers, and importers from industry sectors like fashion are legally required to manage the entire lifecycle of products.
This means companies operating in sectors like fashion, will be reporting data metrics on their products such as recycling and waste disposal, rather than leaving it to consumers or municipalities systems at the collection stage.
Textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is already in effect in several regions around the world.
Europe
Textiles EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is already in place in four countries: France, Netherlands, Hungary, and Latvia. Other EU nations are progressing towards compliance under the European Commission’s broader circular economy agenda.
Amercia
Across the Atlantic, momentum is building in the United States. While national regulations and legislaton for companies isn’t yet in place, several states are taking action to implement these regulations for companies to become more circular with their products and systems.
New York has proposed a fashion sustainability and social accountability act, while California and Oregon are exploring EPR policies for textiles as part of their wider focus on circular materials management for waste and recycling processes in fashion and other industry sectors.
These state-led initiatives and systems mark a growing shift towards producer responsibility and are paving the way for broader adoption across North America in an aim for zero waste and more circular practices.
At Reconomy, we stay ahead of these changes to help companies in the fashion industry sector and more not only remain compliant, but lead the way in sustainable practice to become more circular. We put systems in place for companies to help them report on data both from waste volumes and recycling levels, to help meet Textiles EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) with their products and services.
To comply, you’ll need to join a registered PRO in each country you operate, report data on product volumes placed on the market, pay eco-modulated fees, and participate in take-back schemes to improve product collection and reduce waste. Reconomy helps you manage all of this under one roof to become more circular, from reporting data on products waste collection and waste volumes to recycling levels. From fashion to retail, we’ve got your company covered.
Generally, fashion products like: clothing, footwear, and accessories. Also in scope are household textiles (like towels and bed linens), and sometimes bags and workwear. Definitions vary by location and waste. All products and services predominately arriving from the fashion and retail sectors, with some exceptions.
Eco-modulated fees are charges producers pay based on how environmentally friendly their products are. More sustainable fashion designs in products typically cost less to register, encouraging better design and recycling systems from the start to reduce waste.
Watch our latest EPR Textiles webinar
Join Aimée Campanella, Reconomy’s EPR Textiles Development Director, for a deep dive into the fast-moving world of textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) across the EU. As the UK begins shaping its own approach to textile EPR, understanding how systems are unfolding across Europe is key. This session explored emerging legislation, key implementation models, and how EU trends could influence the UK’s future system. Whether you’re already involved in sortation and recycling or looking to play a bigger role in circular economy solutions across sectors like fashion and retail, this webinar will help you prepare for what’s coming and contribute to the conversation shaping it.
Our global reach
Reconomy supports some of the world’s biggest brands in embedding circular economy practices across operations. With our scale, expertise and partnerships, we offer:
Coverage of over 150 countries
Managing over 132m product returns
10% reduction in our customers’ carbon intensity since 2020
Owned operations in more than 80 countries
Coverage of over 150 countries
Managing over 132m product returns
10% reduction in our customers’ carbon intensity since 2020
Owned operations in more than 80 countries
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