The 2022 EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles established directives to ensure textile production and consumption meet social and environmental standards, including mandatory textile waste collection by 2025 and sustainable product requirements by 2030.
The EU SSCT aims to create a market of textile goods that are produced and processed sustainably, increasing competitiveness and building resistance to global shock. This study examines how eight EU countries with the highest textile capture rates and shares of production (Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Germany, France, Spain) are developing legal frameworks to address these goals. Using a qualitative analysis, the study categorizes emerging regulations into four approaches: Extended Producer Responsibility, Consumer Education, Textile Waste Management, and Environmental and Social Obligations. The findings highlight national-level strategies that both align with and interpret EU directives, contributing insights into the diverse pathways shaping sustainable textile governance in Europe.