Mandatory Recycled Content Targets Sought Under EU Textile Sustainability Law

Published on: January 9, 2026•3 min read

by KnowESG

Brussels recycling group urges EU to set mandatory recycled content targets for textiles under ESPR.

Takeaways

A European recycling industry body is urging the EU to make recycled content mandatory for textiles under new sustainability rules.
The proposal aims to boost circularity, reduce textile waste, and cut reliance on virgin materials.
The European Commission is reviewing stakeholder feedback as it finalizes new textile requirements.

A Brussels-based recycling trade association has called on the European Commission to introduce mandatory recycled content targets for textile products under the EU’s sustainability framework. The appeal was outlined in a position paper published this week, focusing on the implementation of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).

Recycling Europe Textiles, the textile reuse and recycling branch of the Recycling Europe federation, is urging policymakers to incorporate compulsory recycled material requirements into future ecodesign rules. According to the association, such targets are essential to strengthen circularity in the EU textile sector and to ensure that clothing and other textile products placed on the European market contain a defined share of recycled fibres.

In its position paper on the delegated act that will set specific textile requirements under the ESPR, the industry body argued that voluntary measures alone are unlikely to deliver meaningful change. It warned that without clear, mandatory recycled content thresholds, ecodesign rules may fail to create the market demand needed to scale up textile recycling across the EU.

The association represents commercial textile recyclers operating across Europe and advocates for policy frameworks that support the reuse, sorting, and recycling of post-consumer textiles. It said mandatory targets would provide much-needed certainty for recyclers and investors, helping to unlock investment in new recycling technologies and infrastructure.

Textile waste remains a growing challenge for the EU. Industry stakeholders and EU assessments have repeatedly pointed to the millions of tonnes of textiles discarded each year, with less than 1% currently recycled into new textile products. Recycling Europe Textiles argues that binding recycled content requirements would help close this loop by ensuring recyclates have a stable end market.

The call also aligns with wider EU efforts to raise sustainability standards across product categories. In recent years, policymakers have stepped up work on product design rules, waste reduction measures, and extended producer responsibility schemes aimed at reducing environmental impacts throughout a product’s life cycle. The association believes mandatory textile targets would complement these initiatives and accelerate progress towards a circular economy.

The European Commission is now expected to review feedback from a range of stakeholders, including industry groups and environmental organizations, as it finalizes the delegated act on textile requirements under the ESPR. Once adopted, these rules will shape how textile products are designed, what materials they contain, and how they perform environmentally when sold in the EU single market.

Also Read: Debrand Opens U.S. Hub for Textile Sustainability

For recyclers, brands, and consumers alike, the outcome could mark a significant shift in how textiles are produced and managed in Europe.

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Source: APPAREL RESOURCES