EUPublished: 17 July 2026

[Regulatory Update] EU ESPR ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear applies to large companies — medium-sized companies follow from 2030

Source:European Commission

The ban on destroying unsold clothes, clothing accessories and footwear applies to large companies across the EU from 19 July 2026. Medium-sized companies will be subject to the same rules from 2030. The measure was introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR); the European Commission describes it as one of the first concrete measures under the ESPR, with textiles the first product group subject to this ban. According to the Commission, businesses must prioritise keeping products in use by selling them (including through discounts or alternative markets), donating them to charities or social enterprises, or preparing them for reuse (repairing, refurbishing or remanufacturing). Destruction is allowed only in limited cases, such as when items are unsafe or damaged, counterfeit or infringing intellectual property rights, or rejected by charities or donation schemes, and must follow the waste treatment hierarchy, giving priority to recycling. Businesses relying on these exemptions must provide proof, such as documents or test results, and publish annual reports on what they have discarded.

Editor's View

National authorities will check compliance and can impose fines for violations. Companies must keep records for five years to allow inspections. Businesses will use existing customs and logistics codes when reporting, and small and micro-businesses are exempt from these requirements. According to the European Environment Agency, an estimated 4-9% of all textile products put on the market in Europe are destroyed before use, amounting to between 264,000 and 594,000 tonnes each year.

※ This article is based on official public information from an external source (European Commission) and has been analyzed and organized for practical use.

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Related Regulation Information

EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)

The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is a comprehensive framework regulation requiring environmentally sound design for nearly all physical products placed on the EU market, excluding categories such as food, feed, and pharmaceuticals. It represents a fundamental strengthening and expansion of the previous Ecodesign Directive, positioning environmental design as an integrated discipline within the EU market by mandating that sustainability requirements be built in from the earliest stages of product planning. The framework rests on four main pillars. First, ecodesign requirements that set product-specific rules covering durability, repairability, reusability, recyclability, environmental footprint, energy efficiency, and restrictions on hazardous chemical content (in coordination with REACH). Second, the Digital Product Passport (DPP), which requires products to carry a data carrier such as a QR code so that material composition, repairability and recyclability, carbon footprint, and other data can be provided and tracked digitally to ensure supply chain transparency. Third, a phased rollout through product-specific delegated acts covering priority product categories one at a time (textiles, steel, aluminum, furniture, tyres, and others). Fourth, market surveillance and conformity control, including exclusion of non-compliant products from the EU market and labelling where required by delegated acts.

See this regulation's full analysis (timeline & business impact)

💡 The overview and schedule for the regulation related to this article can also be found on the Regulatory Gateway Database page.