The World Briefly
April 01, 2022Green Catwalks
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The European Union plans to crack down on the “fast fashion” industry to ensure that clothing produced in, or imported into, the bloc is more environmentally friendly, NPR reported Thursday.
The EU says that many clothing companies are generating new garments faster than ever to keep up with the latest fashion trends but by doing so, are promoting the growing use of fossil fuels.
The new rules will set standards for how durable and reusable clothing must be. They will also impose bans on the destruction of unsold textiles and order companies to provide information about how sustainable and recyclable a garment is, on its label.
The commission noted that the consumption of textiles ranks fourth in terms of its negative impact on the environment and climate change: About 6.4 million tons of textiles are discarded in the EU each year, about 24 pounds per person.
The proposed regulations are part of a wider push by the bloc to make a larger swath of physical goods – from electronics and packaging to food and buildings – more sustainable.
Last year, the EU announced a comprehensive strategy to reduce its contribution to climate change by more than half within a decade.
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