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Euratex shares its concerns about the EU’s circular textiles strategy. Credit: Shutterstock.

The European Parliament adopted recommendations for the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles on 1 June, however the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (Euratex) argues it could push Europe out of the fashion market. 

With 600 votes in favour, 17 against and 16 abstentions, the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles calls for textile products sold in the EU to be more durable, easier to reuse, repair and recycle. It states their production should respect human, social and labour rights, the environment and animal welfare throughout the supply chain. 

Moreover, the members of Parliament (MEPs) state they want EU and national measures to put an end to “fast fashion” with a call for the ban on the destruction of unsold and returned textile goods. 

While Euratex says it supports the EU Textile Strategy, it believes despite the efforts outlined to step up the EU’s ambition towards sustainability and circularity even further, the report fails to recognise the strategic role of the European textile industry to scale up sustainability. The report also does not take into consideration the global competitive threat which companies in Europe are currently facing. 

UK fashion ecommerce retailer Boohoo Group has assured it is “working with suppliers” to address a surge in prices on the back of higher costs after allegations surfaced it is demanding higher discounts on goods. 

Reports claim Boohoo Group demanded discounts of between 10% and 20% on the agreed price for delivered and undelivered orders. 

Non-profit cooperative, Labour Behind the Label told The Guardian suppliers were often treated with “disdain and disrespect” and the group received reports of demands by Boohoo Group for discounts of 10% to 20% on the agreed price for both delivered and undelivered orders. 

The Guardian cited a supplier that revealed a payment slip from Boohoo indicating a 10% reduction on the price of an order that had already been delivered. The supplier was not consulted or given a reason for the cut and expressed concerns about the financial impact. 

British clothing brand FatFace has officially entered the Canadian market with the opening of three stores in Barrie, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Newmarket, Ontario. 

This expansion comes after FatFace’s successful and profitable venture into the US six years ago, where it currently operates 26 stores. 

The decision to enter Canada was based on extensive research and insights from both the US and Canadian customers, ensuring a strategic launch into select towns, the fashion retailer said. Initial trading at the first stores in Barrie and Niagara-on-the-Lake has exceeded expectations, it added, with positive customer response and strong sales. 

The Canadian expansion has also led to job creation, with 22 new colleagues joining FatFace. The company plans to further expand its presence by opening six additional stores in Canada throughout 2023. In addition, online shipping to Canada has been launched, and a full Canadian website is set to debut in 2024. 

The initiative called "Circular Fashion Partnership Cambodia," is a component of the Global Circular Fashion Forum (GCFF) that aims to help textile manufacturing nations to expedite and expand the recycling of post-industrial textile waste. 

Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and Responsible Business Hub hosted by EuroCham organised a gathering of over 100 experts and stakeholders last month. 

The event, titled: “Textile Waste Opportunities for Circular Textiles, Garments, and Footwear in Cambodia,” served as a platform for robust discussions on the current state of textile waste in the country and charting the path towards a circular future. 

The event marked the start of an initiative called “Circular Fashion Partnership Cambodia,” aimed at establishing circular systems in Cambodia. It will begin by supporting the pilot project which will focus on the proper sorting and recycling of textile waste, diverting it from landfills and incineration.

Since the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in June 2022, a total of 679 shipments amounting to $40.54m have been stopped. 

The Uyghur Act or UFLPA states that “all goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), or by entities identified by the US government on the UFLPA Entity List, are presumed to be made with forced labour and are prohibited from entry into the United States.” 

As part of US Customs and Border Protection’s efforts to make the enforcement of UFLPA more transparent, an interactive statistics dashboard was launched in March this year. 

It’s found the number of shipments denied in the third quarter of 2023 was 42, or 6%, of the total shipments by count as opposed to 202, or 19%, of the total shipments by count in the second quarter.