GFA continues to closely monitor the global evolution of fashion legislation through GFA’s Policy Matrix: Americas and EU editions, offering more clarity and updates on emerging and existing legislation. Since the last review, these are the key updates:

GFA Policy Matrix: EU

• On 8 July 2025, the European Commission presented an Action Plan for the Chemicals Industry to boost competitiveness and modernise the EU chemical sector. The plan includes a revision of the REACH Regulation, the EU’s core framework for chemical safety and market access, by Q4 2025, and a proposal to restrict PFAS (“forever chemicals”). It is accompanied by an Omnibus package aimed at streamlining and simplifying key EU chemicals legislation.

• On 22 July 2025, the European Commission launched a call for evidence to gather input from stakeholders on the Environmental Omnibus proposal, which aims to simplify the implementation of EU environmental legislation and reduce administrative burdens, including in the area of waste. The proposal is expected to be published in Q4 2025.

• On 1 August 2025, the European Commission launched a public consultation and call for evidence to collect feedback from stakeholders on the upcoming Circular Economy Act. Set for adoption in Q4 2026, the Act aims to establish a Single Market for secondary raw materials and boost high-quality recycled material use.

• On 9 September 2025, the European Parliament adopted the revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), which is set to introduce mandatory EPR schemes in all EU Member States by mid-2028. The new rules are designed to improve the collection, sorting and recycling of textile waste. On 26 September 2025, the final text was published in the EU Official Journal, and Member states will now have 20 months to transpose the rules into national law.

• On 23 September 2025, the European Commission proposed a one-year postponement of the EU’s Deforestation Regulation entry into application, currently scheduled for 30 December 2025. This marks the Regulation’s second delay, with the Commission citing technical challenges in developing the IT compliance system. The law requires companies to trace products back to their origin and ensure they were not produced on land deforested after 2020. The proposed delay still requires approval from the Council and European Parliament.

• Discussions Green Claims Directive, the binding framework for voluntary environmental claims, are set to resume in Autumn 2025, after being on hold since the Commission paused the process in June 2025.

• The publication of the European Commission’s proposal to revise the Textile Labelling Regulation, which sets rules for labelling textile products in the EU, has been delayed until April 2026. The revision is expected to introduce requirements for both physical and digital labels.

• Explore our latest additions to the GFA Policy Matrix EU, which include among others, the Environmental Omnibus, and Delegated Acts on the Digital Product Passport, exemptions to the ban on destroying unsold apparel and footwear, and the green-listing of certain waste.

Download the GFA Policy Matrix: EU

GFA Policy Matrix: Americas

• As of 29 August 2025, the US ended the ‘de minimis’ exemption for all countries, which had previously allowed duty-free imports of packages valued at $800 or less. The global phase-out was initially scheduled for 1 July 2027 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but the timeline was accelerated. The US had already suspended ‘de minimis’ access for Mainland China and Hong Kong on 2 May 2025.

• In October 2025, the Chilean Ministry of the Environment launched its Circular Economy Strategy for Textiles by 2040, with the aim to prevent textile waste generation, promote higher-quality textiles and boost reuse and recovery across the sector.

Download the GFA Policy Matrix: Americas

Disclaimer: The GFA Policy Matrix is an independent resource developed by Global Fashion Agenda. The information provided does not constitute, nor is it intended to constitute, a comprehensive overview of all relevant legislation. It reflects GFA’s views and is shared for informational purposes only.