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The European Union is trying to ban the fast fashion culture in its member countries.
Union leaders gathered Wednesday, March 30, to discuss newly proposed rules that the Associated Press said would require mandatory minimums of recycled fiber, ban the destruction of unsold goods and reduce the release of microplastics into the environment.
“All textiles should be durable, recyclable, made from recycled fibers and free from hazardous substances,” said Frans Timmermans, the union’s vice-president at the European Commission.
EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni (right) speaks with EU Commissioner for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans (left) during the European Commission’s weekly College meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. (Kenzo Tribouillard, Pool Photo via AP)
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He went on to say that the proposed rules would be evaluated to encourage sustainability among producers and consumers.
“The clothes we wear should last more than three washes,” Timmermans said.
Fast fashion is a consumer-supported industry where people buy trendy clothes at cheap prices, which often leads to mass production and textile waste. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
The proposed rules are packaged in the Commission’s EU Green Deal. If passed, the rules would set out a “sustainable and circular textiles” action plan, mandating recycled fiber quotas, eco-friendly designs and digital product passports for repair and reuse tracking.
These proposed rules would aim to onboard clothing companies in the EU by 2030, according to the Commission’s press release on the subject.
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Statistics compiled by the Commission’s EU Data Crunch team have revealed that 9,000 liters of water are used to produce the textiles that a European consumer typically buys in a single year.
The group’s researchers also found that synthetic textiles account for up to 35% of the microplastics in the world’s oceans.
More than 65% of textiles in the EU are imported from abroad. However, consumer data reportedly shows that 74% of Europeans want to support second-hand clothes and 77% want clothes made from recycled materials.
EU leaders gathered around proposed rules that, if passed, would discourage fast fashion culture among manufacturers and consumers. (Kenzo Tribouillard, pool photo via AP)
The Oxford Dictionary defines fast fashion as “affordable clothing produced quickly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends”.
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According to an industry analysis published by Bard College, fast fashion gained popularity in the late 1990s with the rise of trend-led clothing chains like H&M, Zara and Topshop.
Attitudes towards single-use clothing have changed in recent years as consumers and brands recognize the impact of fast fashion and textile waste on climate change.
“European consumers rightly expect greener and longer-lasting products,” EU Internal Markets Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a statement. “More sustainability and resource efficiency also means more resilience when a crisis disrupts our industrial supply chains.”
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He continued: “By harnessing the potential of the single market, making the most of digital tools and improving market surveillance, we will maximize opportunities for businesses and consumers alike. Greater resource and energy efficiency, especially in the construction and textile industries, will bring about a lot of qualified jobs throughout Europe.”