Did you know that thanks to the “EU Textile Labelling Regulation”, it’s almost impossible to legally sell upcycled clothing here in the EU!?

According to the “EU Textile Labelling Regulation”, every textile product made of at least 80% of textile fibers (calculated by weight) must be labelled or marked to show its fiber composition whenever the product is marketed in the EU. In other words, every piece of clothing sold in the EU is subject to this regulation.

This is a huge problem for upcycling designers who use old clothing and fabric scraps for their designs, since it is next to impossible to determine the exact fiber composition of these discarded  materials. Plus, the patchwork technique (often used for upcycling clothes) makes it even more difficult to breakdown the exact fiber composition by percentage.

There are exceptions to this regulation. For example, secondhand clothing is exempt, but if you use secondhand clothing to make new clothing out of it (upcycle) it counts as being newly manufactured and, therefore, requires labelling.

IT’s A FACT, that the current “EU Textile Labelling Regulation” does not consider clothes made through the process of upcycling at all! Even the new strategy paper (EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles) does not have anything about upcycling in it. Even though upcycling could play a major part in establishing a circular textile economy and should, therefore, be considered as a viable option.

2023 will be an important year! One of the key actions this year will be the review of the “EU Textile Labelling Regulation”. It is important that clothes made through the process of upcycling will be excluded from textile labelling to make it easier for upcycling designers to manufacture and sell their products in the EU.

The goal is to raise awareness amongst EU-politicians that will ideally result in a change of law and exclude upcycled clothes from the textile labelling obligation.

If you would like to support this initiative, or have questions, please write to us: info@amarancreative.com