©Adobe Stock_smirart
In the last two decades, textiles consumption has approximately doubled.
The impacts of textile production and consumption in the EU are nowadays significant. For instance, the fourth highest negative impact on climate change and the third highest for water and land use can be attributed to textiles.
This indicates a need for action as outlined in the EU strategy for sustainable textiles.
The JRC is assisting policy developments on textile waste management with scientific research to determine the problem definition (causes, problems, consequences). In addition, our research assesses potential societal benefits of preparing for re-use and recycling targets at EU level.