North Rhine-Westphalia Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (The Greens) is pushing for the implementation of a comprehensive textile law. He argues that such legislation must hold textile manufacturers jointly responsible for the costs associated with disposing of used clothing. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” on Tuesday, Krischer highlighted that the existing collection of second-hand clothing is under increasing strain.
He pointed out that collection operations are struggling because the sheer volume of items is increasing, the quality is deteriorating, and many pieces are no longer reusable. Consequently, municipalities and charitable collectors are reaching their limits. Krischer warned that if the responsibility structure is not reformed, the current collection system risks becoming economically unsustainable. He emphasized that manufacturers must be taken into account, as they bear a responsibility not only for the textiles themselves but also for their disposal and recycling. Currently, the costs and risks are primarily shouldered by collectors and local governments, a situation Krischer insists must change, stating that “manufacturers must contribute to the costs”.
A key issue identified is “Fast Fashion”-cheaply produced clothing that consumers quickly discard. This type of clothing often proves unsuitable for the second-hand market and accounts for large quantities collected during textile drives. The growth of textile waste volumes is underscored by data cited by the “Rheinische Post” from the State Environmental Agency. According to these figures, public disposal facilities in NRW collected 16,184 tonnes of used textiles in 2012. However, preliminary data for 2024 show that the disposal volume has jumped to 36,145 tonnes. This statistic only covers material collected by official public bodies, not those gathered by charitable or commercial entities.
Separately, the Federal Ministry for the Environment proposed an “Outline Paper on the Introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility for Textiles” in March. This document is intended to form the basis for a national textile law across Germany.