Designing a Better Future for the Textile Industry With New EU Regulation

A series of new regulatory moves from the EU is taking effect these days. Multiple directives will go into effect soon or end their implementation period in early 2025, while additional ones are currently being considered. Together, they paint a clear picture for brands and vendors in the textile industry.

Let’s examine the new requirements and consider how they will impact our industry and, hopefully, our planet. 

Meet the New Regulation

• Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)

This regulation addresses the design stage, enforcing new design standards to minimize the environmental footprint and ensure that products are more durable, circular, repairable, and energy-efficient. This is an expansion of a directive focused on energy-related products, bringing this approach to the textile world and other production areas.  

• Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

The CSRD went into effect for selected, listed companies in 2024 and is becoming relevant for any organization with over 500 employees. This regulation demands regular non-financial reports on companies’ environmental and social impact, giving stakeholders and consumers much-needed information to base their business and purchasing decisions. 

• Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)

This directive looks at the entire supply chain and requires companies to investigate, share, and address the negative impact of each vendor, supplier, and partner involved in their production. Companies are required to plan accordingly in advance, and there are even personal guidelines for company directors. 

• Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)

As the name suggests, this regulation touches on packaging, one of the most crucial yet overlooked corners of production. From design to recycling and reuse standards, the PPWR is set to make packaging choices more environmentally conscious. 

• The Right to Repair

This is an effort to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to adopt wiser consumption habits. The new initiative makes repairing existing products easier by building an accessible path. It also incentivizes consumers, such as prolonged guarantee periods for fixing defects rather than replacing them.  

• Green Claims

No more empty promises, says this directive. Companies that make environmental claims must back them up with actions and data. Brands must gain third-party verification before their sustainability claims even reach the market, making the information we consume more concrete and reliable. 

• Extended Producer Responsibility (ERP) 

As part of the EU Waste Framework Directive, this regulation extends manufacturers’ responsibility to cover the entire supply chain and production lifecycle, including textile waste management and disposal practices (for brands that still haven’t embraced on-demand production). 

• Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation And Restriction Of Chemicals (REACH)

As the name suggests, this regulation is focused on the use of chemicals. New standards require all materials used in the production process to be registered and properly checked to meet safety and sustainability standards. 

Understanding the Deeper Meaning of These New Regulatory Steps

• Shifting Responsibility: The new regulation makes it clear that brands are expected to own the entire process behind their products. Businesses in the textile industry can no longer cover their eyes and claim to be unaware of hazardous practices used by vendors they work with. 

These responsibilities also include personal liability for senior positions, data to back any potentially greenwashing campaigns, and more. Every part of the process, from early design and manufacturing steps to packaging, delivery, and advertising, is owned and scrutinized. This new mindset can help more brands advance to sustainable manufacturing based on principles such as on-demand production, nearshoring, and reduced waste and energy. 

• Practical Steps: The EU paid close attention to what the market truly needs from brands to improve sustainability. Crucial parts of the puzzle that were overlooked for many years are central to these new guidelines, making them more practical and efficient than ever. Packaging, repair, disposal, and other areas of concerts are finally being addressed, demonstrating an honest desire to transform the face of product production. 

• Top Transparency: The focus on reporting and due diligence is meaningful. It demands that brands give consumers the complete information they need to make a conscious decision. Given today’s audience’s high awareness levels, this is a true game-changing move. 

The new regulation can be overwhelming for brands to handle, but collaborating with the right vendors will allow them to make a shift for the better. 

Kornit’s values, technology, and product line have been focused on environmental solutions for years, making the transition to more eco-friendly production easier and more effective for businesses in the textile realm. 

Enabling on-demand manufacturing, reduced water and energy consumption, and other environmental practices while only boosting cost-effectiveness and quality is the win-win situation our industry should strive for. We expect to see many changes in the upcoming years and hope they will translate to a more conscious and considerate fashion and retail industry.