Fast fashion: Rising prices threaten - what does that mean for buyers?

Fast fashion: Rising prices threaten - what does that mean for buyers?

EU, Europa - Important changes are imminent for the fashion industry! Fast fashion brands such as H&M, Zara and Mango have to expect significantly higher costs. The EU has revised its waste guidelines, which forces manufacturers to pay for the disposal and recycling of textiles themselves. These new regulations are intended to contain the environmental impact of the textile industry, which was responsible for 20 % of global water pollution in 2020. According to oe24.at , the numbers have increased in the past ten years. This means that the brands that rely on mass production will soon dig deep into their pockets.

The revised EU waste directive obliges fashion manufacturers to bear the costs for collecting, sorting and recycling older textiles. The more sustainable the fashion is, the lower the fee to be paid. This means that environmentally friendly labels could have advantages compared to their less sustainable competitors. This could become particularly financial burden for fast-fashion companies, since they should ultimately pass on the increasing costs to consumers, such as adaglobalconcept.com . The manufacturers have a total of 30 months for the implementation of the new regulations, while smaller companies even receive an additional period of 12 months.

regulations for old textiles

The new EU rules not only concern production, but also the correct disposal of old dresses. At the beginning of the year there was confusion about the new legislation, since the Federal Environment Agency had originally recommended that all old textiles, also heavily dirty, were given in old clothing containers. However, these recommendations have now been made more clearly. With the new requirements for the manufacturer's responsibility, online retailers who sit outside the EU, such as Shein or Temu, also have to take responsibility for the disposal of their products. This not only affects clothing, but also shoes, bed linen and even kitchen textiles. The relevant changes are a step towards climate protection, but the implementation will take some time.