Environment
TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING
THE EU HAS MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT
LEGISLATION CHANGES TO THE WORLD OF TEXTILES KEEPING SUSTAINABILITY CLAIMS IN CHECK AND ENSURING ALL PRODUCTS ARE PART OF AN ECO-COMPLIANT LIFE CYCLE. THOUGH IT IS STILL EARLY DAYS AND NOT LIKELY TO
DIRECTLY IMPACT THE UK, ASSISTANT EDITOR BENJAMIN AUSTIN HAS SPOKEN WITH THOSE IN THE INDUSTRY TO DISCUSS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BEFORE IT IS NECESSARY.
The EU’s adoption of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) has set the clock ticking on one of the most significant shifts in the textiles sector. For the large-format print, signage, and display industries who rely on textile-based substrates, the new rules signal a future in which producers will be held more accountable for the environmental impacts of the materials they place on the market. Published in the Official Journal of the European
Union, the revised WFD requires all Member States to establish Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles by June 17 2027. And even though it’s still unclear whether industrial and display textiles will fall within each country’s scope, the wider direction of European policy is unmistakable; improved transparency, reduced waste, and stronger responsibility for products throughout their entire life cycle.
NO MORE ROOM FOR DELAY Aimee Campanella, development director for textiles EPR at Reconomy, believes the sector should take the new timeline seriously. She said: “The countdown is on. Brands selling textiles into the EU need to start preparing to cover the costs of collecting, sorting, reuse, and recycling their products.”
According to circular economy specialist, four EU Member States already operate textile EPR schemes, with two more having completed consultations.
This means that while full adoption of these practices are years away, the realities of EPR are already being shaped by early adopters and its these companies that not only will be better equipped for when it becomes mandatory but will also have a say in shaping the system. Aimee continued: “This isn’t just a compliance
24 | Dec 2025/Jan 2026
requirement, it’s a strategic opportunity. “Brands that act now by optimising product design and building strong reuse and recycling partnerships will lower future costs and gain consumer trust in a market increasingly driven by accountability.”
IT’S NOT JUST FASHION
Even though industrial textiles such as soft signage, exhibition fabrics, and display materials aren’t explicitly mentioned in every national proposal, industry experts say businesses cannot assume they will be exempt. Nova Abbott, head of marketing at Kavalan, explained: “The adoption of the Waste Framework Directive leads Europe closer to the creation of a harmonised EPR framework for textiles. “We won’t know for some time which countries will include industrial textile applications such as soft signage or banners, but the direction of travel is clear. “EPR is on its way for multiple industries, and businesses need to be planning now for how they’re going to operate successfully in a future in which they’re held accountable for their environmental impacts.”
EPR schemes are expanding across multiple industries and the print and display sector should expect itself to be within the conversation. Whether through formal regulation or market pressure from increasingly sustainability-focused customers, the responsibility to understand and reduce environmental impact is becoming unavoidable.
THE END OF VAGUE SUSTAINABILITY CLAIMS Alongside EPR, the EU’s Greenwashing Directive is raising the bar for environmental claims. Businesses who therefore cannot back claims of ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’, or ‘carbon-neutral’, would
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