The European Union recently proposed plans to encourage consumers to be more mindful of the impacts of fast fashion, the second biggest polluter in the world.

New rules proposed by the EU’s executive arm call for a mandatory minimum use of recycled fibers by 2030 and ban the destruction of many unsold products. The European Commission rules also seek to contain the release of microplastics and improve global labor conditions in the garment industry.

“We want sustainable products to become the norm,” Vice President Frans Timmermans says. He explains that the strategy aims to increase the reuse of clothing products and address mass textile waste.

The EU decided that this proposal would be the best course of action given the fact that Europe is most closely associated with the fast-fashion problem. Although several mass-market retailers including Zara, H&M, and Primark are the main focus of this proposed plan, the EU also urges luxury brands to set a higher standard for sustainability in the clothing industry.

Timmermans claims that there is a “cultural change” taking place, as he believes that with major fashion centers incorporating upcycling and other methods to reduce their carbon footprint, the fashion industry will be headed to a sustainable future.

Works Cited:

“EU To Propose New Rules To Discourage Consumers Against Fast Fashion”. PBS Newshour, 2022, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/eu-to-propose-new-rules-to-discourage-consumers-against-fast-fashion#:~:text=EU to propose new rules to discourage consumers against fast fashion,-World Mar 30&text=BRUSSELS (AP) — The European,of mass-market fast fashion. Accessed 4 Apr 2022.

“Fast Fashion Quick To Cause Environmental Havoc”. Sustainability.Uq.Edu.Au, 2018, https://sustainability.uq.edu.au/projects/recycling-and-waste-minimisation/fast-fashion-quick-cause-environmental-havoc. Accessed 4 Apr 2022.

Theplanetapp.Com,2022, https://theplanetapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/fast-fashion-1-scaled.jpg. Accessed 4 Apr 2022.