About: textiles

UK faces hefty EU fine over Chinese import fraud

The UK faces a hefty fine for underreporting customs duties applied to Chinese footwear imports when it was still in the EU, according to a judgement on Tuesday by the European Court of Justice.

Fashion brands at the test of setting sustainable standards

Consumers' craving for ever-increasing sustainable products is leaving its mark on the textile industry, creating a shift toward a 'greener' manufacturing process that requires new ways to assess its impact on the environment.

Dressed to kill – the environmental cost of fast fashion exposed

The EU needs to introduce strict measures to slow overconsumption in the fast fashion industry and increase the recyclability of textiles in order to reach a zero waste and net zero economy by 2050, according to a new report.

EU unveils circular economy plan 2.0, drawing mixed reactions

The European Commission unveiled its new circular economy action plan on Wednesday (11 March), confirming the EU’s intention of halving municipal waste by 2030, and suggesting to offer consumers a new “right to repair” for computers and smartphones.

Fashion industry ‘playing catch-up’ with the circular economy

With reports continuing to reveal the extent of the environmental and social damage caused by fast-fashion, not-for-profit organisation H&M Foundation believes the industry is now on the cusp of a radical sustainability shift towards the circular economy. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.

Ecolabels have lost all credibility, report claims

Lack of transparency, oversights, confusion… A report by the Dutch Foundation Changing Markets, published on 3 May, reveals the inefficiency of environmental labels, particularly for seafood, textiles and palm oil. EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'environnement reports.

Sri Lanka regains valuable EU trade concession

Sri Lanka has regained a lucrative EU trade concession it lost six years ago over concerns about human rights, mainly benefiting its garments export industry, but it will be subject to vigorous monitoring, the European Union said today (16 May).

MEPs demand tough rules for textiles importers

The European Parliament has called for strict, binding legislation governing textiles imported to the EU, to crack down on the kinds of abuses brought to light by the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster, in which more than 1,100 people died.

France leads EU on duty of care requirements for multinationals

After four years of debate, France has finally adopted a law on multinational companies’ duty of care. This paves the way for similar laws in Belgium and Spain, although the project is stalled at European level. EURACTIV France reports.

Commission proposes reinstating Sri Lankan trade concession

The European Union's executive on Wednesday (11 January) proposed that the bloc reinstates a trade concession to Sri Lanka as an incentive to the government to promote human rights and good governance.

The unexpected climate benefits of waste management

A leaked report on the climate impact of waste says climate mitigation strategies should concentrate on reducing and recycling textile and aluminium waste. Our partner Journal de l'Environnement reports. 

Germany’s Müller targets sustainability with new Asia strategy

Development Minister Gerd Müller’s new strategy for Germany’s involvement in Asia intends to helo the booming continent achieve environmentally and socially acceptable growth with aid from German citizens and businesses. Critics are sceptical. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Record growth for German fair trade products

German consumers spent considerably more money on fair trade products last year, with only British customers spending more in the EU, ahead of the introduction of a pioneer fair trade label on sustainable clothes in the Federal Republic. EURACTIV Germany reports.

German fair textile initiative seeks international alliance

Almost two years since the Rana Plaza factory disaster in Bangladesh, German textile associations agreed on membership requirements for the government's proposed textile alliance, while apparel manufacturing giants still reject the project. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU aims for global standards against slave labour and exploitation

T-shirts for €4.95 and bananas at €1 per kilo – such prices often disguise unsafe working conditions and labor exploitation, inspiring EU Development Commissioner Mimica, and the German government, to push for an end such abuses. EURACTIV Germany reports.

German manufacturers bail on sustainable textile alliance

With a special alliance for sustainable clothing and a new textile label, German Development Minister Gerd Müller hopes to help guarantee fair working conditions in developing countries. But the initiative has been abandoned by relevant corporations and is under attack from NGOs. EURACTIV Germany reports.

German NGOs and businesses attack social labelling plans

Plans to promote sustainably produced clothing announced by German Development Minister Gerd Müller are under attack. Apparel producers and NGOs consider the approach unrealistic, while the Green Party spoke of deliberate deception. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU to label clothes made with real fur, leather

Consumers will no longer be at risk of buying by mistake textiles that contain real fur or leather after the European Parliament backed new labelling rules yesterday (11 May). 

MEPs want stricter ‘country of origin’ labels for clothes

The European Parliament is pushing for new labelling rules that would prevent foreign manufacturers from claiming that clothes were 'Made in the EU' when they underwent only minor transformations in the bloc.

EU lifts Chinese textile quotas

The European Commission has announced that it will not renew limits imposed more than two years ago on textiles and clothing from China after a dramatic surge in low-cost imports from the Asian giant threatened to cause serious damage to the European manufacturing industry. 

Anti-dumping duties on Asian shoes imposed

Following an investigation, the Commission has imposed punitive tariff duties on leather shoes from China and Vietnam.

Mandelson to impose duty on shoes

The EU Commission is expected to impose anti-dumping tariffs of up to 20% on shoes with leather uppers imported from China and Vietnam.

After textiles shoes may be next EU-China trade issue

The EU member states have backed the deal with China on textile quotas, but shoes may soon put the Commission on the back foot.

Commission and China patch together textile quota deal

The EU and China have sewn up a deal on the textile quotas row. The consumer organisation BEUC says it does not address the underlying problem that restrictions were imposed on Chinese imports to the detriment of consumers.