Making Textiles More Sustainable: the 3rd milestone

On 13 June 2024, the European Commission adopted the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). This new law sets the stage for strong requirements—called ecodesign requirements—to make products more environmentally friendly and circular.

This builds on the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, launched in 2022. The strategy aims to tackle fast fashion, reduce textile waste, and make clothes and fabrics more durable, repairable, reusable, and recyclable. It also promised to update the EU Ecolabel criteria for textiles, giving consumers a clear and trustworthy way to choose eco-friendly products.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is leading a preparatory study on textile products (referred to as the PS). This study will provide the scientific and technical foundation for:

• Future ecodesign requirements for textiles, to be set out in a delegated act under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
• Potential mandatory Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for textiles within the ESPR framework.
• Revision of the EU Ecolabel criteria for textile products, in line with the EU Ecolabel Regulation and consistent with ESPR developments.

These measures will be developed together to ensure they work in harmony. The JRC is using the Methodology for Ecodesign of Energy-related Products (MEErP), adapted for textiles, and reviewing current ecolabel rules to prepare for future updates.

To support communication of the key findings, the JRC has prepared a summary document highlighting the main messages of the 3rd milestone on December 5th, 2025.

Please note that, following the latest stakeholder consultation, the analysis of technologies has been substantially revised in the following sections:

• Section 9.2.1: Physical durability
• Section 9.2.5: Recyclability and recycled content

Stakeholders are therefore encouraged to review these sections carefully in order to fully understand the analysis and the proposals presented in the new Sections 10, 11, and 12.