On 14 February, EPR practitioners, industry leaders and other key stakeholders came together for a pivotal session on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Textiles at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector. This session, hosted by Global Fashion Agenda, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and the OECD, focused on fostering alignment across national EPR systems to advance a global circular economy for textiles.

Key topics covered during the event

• EPR Policy as a service fee: EPR can be described as a service fee that helps companies to make sustainable decisions.
• Global approaches to EPR Policy: Countries have taken different approaches to EPR, from mandatory schemes in the EU to voluntary. A diverse and plural landscape of Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), as seen in the Netherlands, fosters collaboration and helps achieve ambitious environmental goals.
• Considerations for EPR in the Global South: Setting up EPR in the Global South requires identifying key stakeholders, securing political support, fostering collaboration, learning from others, understanding local clothing consumption, and educating businesses and consumers.
• Scaling EPR through regulations and investment: To ensure EPR becomes an effective policy tool, long-term success depends on consistent governmental action, investment in infrastructure, and cross-sector collaboration. The EU’s revised Waste Framework Directive is a step towards a more structured and unified approach.
• EPR’s role in textile recycling: The textile recycling industry faces rising costs, ultra-fast fashion, and declining demand for second-hand clothing. EPR is key to addressing these issues by driving infrastructure investment and strengthening secondary raw material markets.

“One challenge is that EPR is often perceived as a tax, even though it isn’t. Expect to invest significant effort in raising awareness about what EPR truly is, the benefits it brings, and its implications for businesses” – Sarah Njau, Managing Director, GFS East Africa.