How can sustainable textiles become the norm on the European market and, in particular, how can short-lived products be removed from the market? A new study by the Öko-Institut, the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, and the Hof University of Applied Sciences, commissioned by the German Federal Environment Agency, shows how performance and information requirements for textiles can be formulated that could form part of the new EU Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products in the future.
The study focuses on key product aspects such as durability, reparability, recyclability, and recycled content, as well as the presence of substances of concern. The research team examined T-shirts, jeans, and functional jackets as example products—three products with high market significance and different requirements.
Our proposals show how sustainability requirements can be put into practice in concrete terms. The aim is to make sustainable textiles the standard and to gradually remove short-lived mass-produced goods from the market.”
Katja Moch, expert in sustainable textiles at the Öko-Institut
Focus on durability: how long clothing should last
The study shows that durability is the most important criterion for the environmental compatibility of clothing. Concrete and measurable requirements were defined for the product examples examined in order to evaluate them. For T-shirts, for example, dimensional stability after washing and drying, the resistance of the material, and color fastness play a role.
In the case of jeans, in addition to changes in size during washing—i.e., shrinkage or stretching—the tensile strength and elasticity of the fabric, its resistance to abrasion, and its color fastness to light and rubbing are particularly important. These and other aspects can be determined using existing test methods.
“Durability can be easily assessed as long as it is based on textile-specific properties. However, if usage and care behavior are taken into account, the assessment becomes more complex. Our analysis shows how important it is to differentiate between product and fiber types.”
Prof. Dr. Maike Rabe, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences
Repair instead of throwing away
Repairability was also examined. The researchers recommend minimum requirements—such as the availability of replacement parts such as zippers or buttons, repair instructions, and cooperation with repair services. For more complex products such as functional jackets, product-specific requirements in the form of voluntary design guidelines are also useful.
Recyclability and recycled content: proposals for clear guidelines
To improve the recyclability of textiles in the future, the study recommends, among other things, limiting material mixtures – for example, to a maximum of two fiber types per area and a reduced use of elastane of five to ten percent. For T-shirts and jeans, the authors also suggest percentages of fibers from fiber-to-fiber recycling in new products, for example, ten percent for cotton or three percent for polyester. These figures are based on market availability and not just on technical feasibility. In addition, the study identifies the political framework conditions that need to be clarified for a mandatory recycled content in textiles, such as traceability.
Presence of substances of concern
The study recommends the disclosure of information on certain chemical substances, in particular substances of very high concern (SVHC), but also on so-called effect chemicals that remain on the textile. This requires knowledge of the identity, quantity, properties, and function of the chemicals used throughout the entire product life cycle—from design to end product. Prof. Dr. Anett Matthäi from the Hof University of Applied Sciences emphasizes:
This combination of information enables technical product development to influence product quality, durability, and recyclability. Simply passing on information about hazardous substances would not be conducive to sustainable products.
Prof. Dr. Anett Matthäi, Hof University of Applied Sciences
Background to the study
The study contributes proposals for the implementation of the new EU Ecodesign Regulation 2024/1781 on how binding requirements for the sustainability of products, including textiles, can be made possible in the future. The aim is to develop a delegated act of the EU for textiles. The results will be incorporated into the comments on the European preliminary study by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission in the further legislative process of the EU.
For the complete study:
“Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: requirements for the ecodesign of textiles and the possible transfer to an ecodesign label” by Öko-Institut Consult GmbH, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, and Hof University of Applied Sciences
