Fight against ultra-fast fashion gains momentum in EU

Led by Germany, France and the Netherlands, an increasing number of EU member states are calling for coordinated European action against fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion.

The three member states raised the issue at the EU Environment Council in Luxembourg on Thursday. They appealed to the European Commission to make existing and planned EU regulations against short-lived and low-quality textiles more effective. Their call was supported by other member states, including Slovenia and Denmark.

“Ultra-fast fashion is only worn for a short time, but causes long-term trouble. Once discarded, it can hardly be reused as second-hand clothing or recycled, and it overwhelms used clothing collections. This puts a strain on resources, the climate and waste management. It also puts pressure on companies that invest in durable and circular textiles. We therefore call on the EU Commission to impose higher sustainability requirements on ultra-fast fashion manufacturers. Cheap, disposable clothing must no longer be a competitive advantage,” urged State Secretary for the Environment Jochen Flasbarth.

Clear criteria demanded

As FashionUnited previously reported, laws and regulations are currently being adapted in Germany to align with the “EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles”, which was adopted as part of the EU Green Deal. This includes shaping the regulations for textiles under the EU Ecodesign Regulation and incorporating requirements for recycled content, durability and recyclability.

Germany is also calling for clear criteria to “precisely define and accurately regulate ultra-fast fashion as a business model,” according to a press release from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.

Extended producer responsibility for textiles is another important lever in the fight against fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion. “Those who place large quantities of short-lived clothing on the EU market should also contribute appropriately to the costs of collection, sorting, reuse and disposal,” the Federal Ministry stated.

Online retail must be included

Germany, France, the Netherlands and other supporting member states are also advocating for European environmental and product standards to apply to online retail. This includes online platforms and direct sales from third countries such as Shein, Temu and others. At the turn of the year, a law banning advertising for ultra-fast fashion is set to be introduced in France.

As of July 1, customs duties will also apply to parcels from non-European countries, and the previous threshold of 150 euros for goods value will be abolished. Instead, a flat customs fee of 3 euros will be levied per product group in the parcel, and an import turnover tax will also be charged. This is intended to curb, if not stop, the flood of cheap products from non-European countries.

From July 19, 2026, large companies will be prohibited from destroying certain unsold products intended for consumers under the Ecodesign Regulation.

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