EPR Textiles What you need to know

End-to-end solution for producers navigating global textile Extended Producer Responsibility. Explore our global service-offering here.

What is textile EPR?   Why is it needed? What’s coming and when? How do I get my business ready? Book an Impact Assessment FAQs
What is it

What is textile EPR?  

Textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) places the responsibility on producers to manage the full lifecycle of textile products, from design through to end-of-life. That means items such as garments, footwear, and household textiles might no longer be just your responsibility when they hit the shelves, but long after they’ve been used. 

With EPR, producers must take accountability for how their products are collected, reused, recycled, or responsibly disposed of. It’s about turning a linear model into a circular one, where waste becomes resource. 

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Why is it needed

Why is it needed?

The fashion and textiles sector is one of the most resource-intensive industries on the planet. As global legislation continues to establish itself around the world to support, staying ahead of the curve is no longer optional for businesses, it’s essential.

In Europe alone, producers face multiple regulations relating to textiles. This shifting landscape can feel complex, but that’s where we come in. Reconomy makes textile EPR simple, strategic, and sustainable.

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Textile EPR - What’s coming and when?

Textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is no longer a distant policy ambition, it’s already in motion, with major implications for global brands operating in the EU and beyond.

As part of the EU’s accelerated push toward a circular and accountable textile sector, EPR legislation is advancing fast. Mandatory compliance obligations are being introduced across Member States, impacting producers, importers, retailers, and marketplace operators.

For large organisations managing complex international supply chains, this shift demands urgent attention. Here’s how the EU Textile EPR timeline is unfolding and what your business needs to prepare for.

  • Expected final adoption and publication
  • Memer States start making it national law

Textile EPR law must be in place in every EU country.

 

Producers report data and pay into EPR systems

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 EPR-ready:

1) Assess your obligations: Know where and when you’ll be obligated under EPR legislation

2) Setup data systems: Have systems in place to collect and manage your data

3) Budget: Understand what your fees will be to allow accurate budgeting

4) Register: Join a scheme to handle your obligations.

5) Report: Track and declare what you sell.

6) Pay EPR fees: You will need to pay fees based on your reported data.

Impact assessment

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 global Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) 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 compliance fees using market intelligence and projected fee structures
  • Assess data readiness – Evaluate your internal systems and identify any reporting gaps
  • Deliver an actionable compliance roadmap – Receive a tailored checklist to reduce risk, close gaps, and ensure timely compliance
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Why act now?

While deadlines may seem a few years away, textile 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:

Avoid the last-minute scramble
Strengthen your sustainability credentials
Plan and budget ahead
Gain a competitive edge
Rethink your products proactively
Reduce compliance risk

Why partner with Reconomy for Textiles EPR?

With over 25 years of global 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 around the world since 1997. Our deep-rooted relationships with regulators, policymakers, and industry bodies mean we’re actively involved in shaping the future of EPR.

Global reach_

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 reporting requirements. As textile EPR expands, we’re actively planning to establish in-country textile PROs.​

Unmatched scale

Your textile EPR partner

Our unique global footprint and end-to-end service offering means that we can support you with all aspects of textile EPR including data management, take-back and digital product passports. Making us your reliable long-term textile EPR partner. ​

Your Textiles EPR partner

FAQs

Explore some of the most frequently asked questions surrouding EPR textiles.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in textiles means manufacturers, retailers, and importers are legally required to manage the entire lifecycle of their products, including recycling and waste disposal, rather than leaving it to consumers or municipalities.

Textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is already in effect in several regions around the world. Textile EPR 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.

Across the Atlantic, momentum is building in the United States. While national legislation isn’t yet in place, several states are taking action. 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. These state-led initiatives mark a growing shift towards producer responsibility and are paving the way for broader adoption across North America.

At Reconomy, we stay ahead of these changes to help businesses not only remain compliant, but lead the way in sustainable practice.

To comply, you’ll need to join a registered PRO in each country you operate, report volumes placed on the market, pay eco-modulated fees, and participate in take-back schemes. Reconomy helps you manage all of this under one roof.

Generally: clothing, footwear, accessories, household textiles (like towels and bed linens), and sometimes bags and workwear. Definitions vary by location.

Eco-modulated fees are charges producers pay based on how environmentally friendly their products are. More sustainable designs typically cost less to register, encouraging better design from the start.

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Our global reach 

Reconomy supports some of the world’s biggest brands in embedding circular practices across global operations. With our scale, expertise and partnerships, we offer:

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Coverage of over 150 countries 

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Managing over 132m product returns 

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10% reduction in our customers’ carbon intensity since 2020 

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Owned operations in more than 80 countries