Every second, the equivalent of a full rubbish truck's worth of clothing ends up in landfill somewhere in the world. In Europe alone, between 4% and 9% of unsold textiles are destroyed before a single person ever wears them — incinerated, shredded, discarded. The practice generates around 5.6 million tonnes of CO2 every year, roughly equivalent to the entire net emissions of Sweden in 2021. In France alone, the value of unsold products destroyed annually reaches €630 million.
On 9 February 2026, the European Commission drew a line. Under its Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation — a sweeping framework designed to raise sustainability standards across European markets — the destruction of unsold clothing, footwear and accessories is now prohibited. Large companies must comply from 19 July 2026. Medium-sized firms have until 2030. Micro and small businesses are exempt.
The rules don't just ban destruction — they redirect it. Instead of incinerating or discarding surplus stock, companies are required to explore alternatives: resale, remanufacturing, donation, or reuse. Limited exceptions exist where destruction can be justified on safety or damage grounds, but these require documentation and national authority oversight. From February 2027, large companies must also begin publicly disclosing exactly how much unsold stock they discard and why — creating a new layer of transparency across an industry not previously known for it.
Globally, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are generated every year, much of it ending up in landfill or incineration. That number was on track to reach 134 million tonnes by the end of the decade. Europe just decided it would no longer be part of that statistic.