What UK textiles EPR means for your business

The future of fashion responsibility

The conversation around textiles EPR is gaining momentum in the UK. With clothing manufacturers and retailers facing mounting pressure to address textile waste, Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles (tEPR) is an approaching reality that demands attention today.

While the UK hasn't even announced plans for domestic tEPR legislation, we know it’s coming. Industry bodies, recycling associations and environmental stakeholders are united in calling for mandatory schemes. More immediately, any UK producers selling into EU markets already face compliance obligations that cannot be ignored.

Understanding the scale of the tEPR challenge

Everybody loves shopping for clothes, but sadly, fashion’s waste numbers are not a pretty sight. Currently, less than 50% of textile waste in UK is captured for reuse or recycling. The remaining more than 50% ends up in municipal waste streams, destined for landfill or incineration[1].

The volumes of waste clothing and other textiles are large – estimated to be around 1.5 million tonnes – and keep growing.  Many commentators also point to the reduction in quality (in terms of resaleability) of the stream over the last decade.

The Textile Recycling Association has been particularly vocal about the strain on existing infrastructure. Its members report falling values for collected textiles, rising operational costs and increasing regulatory pressure. Without policy clarity and interim support measures, large parts of the textile recycling sector risk collapse; with serious consequences for local authorities, charities and the public.

Without intervention, UK local authority costs for managing textile waste could surge from £73 million to £200 million by 2035, according to environmental NGO, WRAP. These costs won't disappear; they'll likely be passed to the public through higher council tax. Meanwhile, charities face increasing disposal costs as they receive growing volumes of unsellable clothing donations.

This is precisely why industry stakeholders, including WRAP, are calling for mandatory extended producer responsibility schemes as the primary solution.

What textiles extended producer responsibility actually means

At its core, tEPR shifts responsibility for end-of-life textile management from the public to those who place textile products on the market. It's a principle already proven in other sectors such as packaging, and one that's rapidly becoming the norm across Europe for fashion and home textiles.

The EU's revised Waste Framework Directive, which entered force in October 2025, requires all member states to implement textiles EPR through transposition into national law by June 2027 and implementation of fully operational schemes by April 2028. France and the Netherlands already have functioning national programmes, while Italy launched its scheme in 2025.

For the UK, timing of any domestic legislation remains uncertain. Industry consensus suggests implementation within five years is highly likely, particularly given the government's commitment to a forthcoming Circular Economy Roadmap.

How will the UK textiles EPR compliance landscape look?

Exact timelines aren’t yet clear, but the broad shape of a UK textiles EPR is emerging. The likelihood is that large and medium-sized companies selling clothes in the UK will need to register as ‘producers’, report sales data by material type and volume, contribute financially to collection and recycling and potentially meet labelling and consumer information requirements.

Fee structures will likely follow the EU model of modulated charges, where environmentally preferable products attract lower costs. This creates direct financial incentives for sustainable design and funds the infrastructure needed to collect and process textile waste at scale.

The scope of obligations will be defined in final regulations, but expect broad coverage of apparel and footwear. It’s highly likely thresholds will be introduced to exempt very small companies, but any retailer with significant textile sales should assume they'll be obligated.

Penalties for non-compliance typically include: financial sanctions, back-dated fees and reputational damage. Businesses that prepare thoroughly will avoid these risks whilst potentially benefiting from first-mover advantages in circular business models.

Get in early to avoid chaos later

Treating textiles EPR as inevitable, rather than speculative, changes the strategic calculus. It will help to look at the challenge of compliance as a business opportunity. This makes sense because the capabilities required for compliance (detailed product data, reverse logistics, digital tracking, circular design) also enable exciting new business models around rental, resale, repair and remanufacturing.

UK producers building these capabilities now gain operational advantages beyond regulatory compliance. Better product data improves inventory management and reduces waste. Take-back programmes create customer touchpoints and loyalty opportunities. Circular design reduces material costs and appeals to environmentally conscious consumers.

Inaction while waiting for final legislation means you might face rushed timelines later and higher implementation costs, as well as missing opportunities to influence how schemes operate. Early engagement with compliance providers, industry bodies and government will help shape the practical reality of how textile EPR works, ensuring producers’ voices inform workable solutions.

Cutting textile waste: The reverse supply chain revolution

Traditional retail operates on a linear model: manufacture, distribute, sell. Textiles EPR demands transformation into circular systems that accommodate collection, sorting, reuse and recycling flows.

This is where investment in digital capabilities become essential. RFID tags, QR codes and product identifiers are transitioning from supply chain efficiency tools to reverse logistics necessities. They enable tracking of products through their entire lifecycle, facilitating sorting, authenticity verification and material recovery.

For many businesses, this is unfamiliar territory. The infrastructure, partnerships and processes required for effective reverse logistics differ significantly from traditional retail operations. Success in improving supply chain visibility will require close and trusted communication and collaboration with a great many supplies throughout the long and complex fashion supply chain.

Of course, for UK distributors selling into EU markets, compliance obligations already exist. Building capabilities now serves both current EU requirements and future UK schemes.

The financial reality: investment and returns

Central to tEPR is the principle that funds will be raised to cover the costs of collecting, sorting, and reusing or recycling end-of-life clothing. The EU is strongly committed to this circular model. It has been estimated that a comprehensive EU-wide textiles EPR scheme could generate €3.5 to 4.5 billion annually to support investment in collection and recycling infrastructure. This would represent a major boost to circular economy capabilities, while also creating substantial market opportunities for organisations well positioned to take part.

Non-compliance carries its own costs: financial sanctions, back-dated fees and reputational damage. More subtly, businesses that fail to adapt risk losing market access as retailers and platforms increasingly require supplier compliance with environmental regulations.

How ERP UK can help navigate this transition

This is complex territory, but you don't need to navigate it alone. ERP UK brings proven expertise in Extended Producer Responsibility compliance, backed by the international capabilities of the Landbell Group.

Our colleagues already support operational textiles EPR schemes in the Netherlands (since 2023) and Italy (since 2025), developing the reverse supply chains essential for a circular textile economy. This experience across multiple European markets provides invaluable insights into what works, what challenges to anticipate and how to build efficient compliance processes.

We offer:

• International expertise: Drawing on Landbell Group's pan-European network to provide insights from markets where tEPR is already operational
• Bespoke support: Tailored guidance for your specific business model, whether you're a manufacturer, importer or retailer
• Data solutions: Systems and processes for the accurate reporting that compliance demands
• Strategic planning: Help positioning tEPR as a competitive advantage rather than just a compliance burden
• Ongoing updates: Regular newsletters, webinars and events keeping you informed as UK policy develops

Since 2002, ERP has helped thousands of companies navigate EPR compliance across multiple countries and product categories, facilitating the recycling of millions of tonnes of waste electricals, packaging and batteries. We're applying this proven methodology to textiles as the sector undergoes its own EPR transformation.

Taking action: your next steps

The textile industry's transition to Extended Producer Responsibility represents significant change, but it's change with purpose. By placing responsibility with those who design, manufacture and sell textile products, tEPR creates incentives for better environmental outcomes while building the infrastructure needed for a genuinely circular economy.

Whether you're a clothing manufacturer designing next season's range or a retailer managing complex supply chains, the time to engage with textiles EPR is now. Early preparation, strategic thinking and expert partnerships turn regulatory requirements into competitive advantages.

Related articles

ERP UK covered the subject of textiles EPR in December 2025. You can read the blog here:

Ready to prepare for textiles EPR?

Contact ERP UK's expert team to discuss your readiness assessment and compliance strategy.

Related services

EPR for Textiles - visit our webpage here

Extended Producer Responsibility - visit the webpage here

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