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Joakim Landqvist
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Quick Overview
Producer Responsibility for Textiles, Explained
The EU has decided that anyone who places textiles on the market must also take responsibility for what happens to them when they become waste. Sweden is phasing in these rules gradually through 2029. Here you’ll find the full picture: what the rules entail, who is affected, and what you can do today. We update this page regularly.
Quick Facts:
- Producer responsibility means that you finance and ensure the collection and recycling of the products you sell
- Clothing, shoes, home textiles, and certain furniture textiles are covered
- The system must be in place and the requirements must take effect no later than April 17, 2028
- You can take responsibility today and be prepared
What is producer responsibility?
What does producer responsibility mean for textiles?
Producer responsibility for textiles is based on a simple principle: the polluter pays. Whoever places a product on the market is responsible for it, even when it becomes waste. In Sweden, producer responsibility has long been in place for items such as packaging, electronics, and batteries. Now, producer responsibility is also being introduced for textiles.
The seller is responsible for the product throughout its entire life cycle
In practice, the directive requires producers to finance collection, sorting, and recycling by joining national systems operated by producer responsibility organizations. The specific details of how the Swedish system will be designed are being determined through ongoing work at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The basis for this is the EU Waste Directive 2008/98/EC, to which producer responsibility for textiles was added via Article 22a through the amending Directive (EU) 2025/1892, which has been in force since October 16, 2025.
Three Roles
Here is how the responsibilities are divided:
The Producer
- Joins a producer responsibility organization
- Funds collection, sorting, and recycling through fees paid to the producer responsibility organization
The Organization for Producer Responsibility
- Responsible for ensuring that collection, sorting, and recycling take place
- Compiles data on volumes and recycling results and reports to the authorities
- Represents the manufacturer in dealings with government agencies
The State
- Developing the regulatory framework
- Oversees operations and receives reports
The details will be worked out over the next few years. But you can take responsibility right now, through the collection and recycling programs that are already in place. You sign up, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Textile producer
Who is responsible for textile products?
The rules regarding who bears producer responsibility for textiles apply to companies that supply textiles, textile-related products, or footwear (shoes) in Sweden, regardless of where you are in the supply chain:
- Manufacturers with production facilities in Sweden or abroad
- Importers who bring the products into the Swedish market
- Retailers and E-commerce: The Goal Is Equal Rules for All Sellers
Does the size of the company matter?
The directive makes no distinction based on the size of the company. The rules apply to everyone who sells covered products, starting in 2028. The cost is based on how much you place on the market, not on the size of the company. The only exception is that micro-enterprises—with fewer than 10 employees and a maximum turnover of 2 million euros—will not be subject to the directive until 2029.
Textiles
Which textile products are covered?
Clothing and footwear (shoes) are included. Shoes are rarely mentioned in discussions about textiles, but if you sell shoes, the same rules apply as for clothing.
Home textiles are also included, as are certain furniture textiles such as curtains and blankets. But the line is more clearly defined than one might think.
Examples of Delimitations
Covered
- Sheets and towels
- Leather jackets and leather belts.
Not covered
- Duvets and pillows.
- Furniture and rugs.
See the complete list in Annex IVc of the directive.
Are you unsure where your product line fits in? Let’s go over it together.
Here’s what’s happening
The timeline is based on the requirements and dates set forth in the EU Waste Directive. The specifics of how producer responsibility will be implemented in Sweden have not yet been decided; that work is currently underway at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Those who wait for the final regulations will have to adapt to them. Those who act now will have time to shape their own conditions.
January 2025
Separate collection of textile waste has been mandatory in the EU since January 1.
October 2025
The EU’s revised Waste Directive will take effect on October 16.
September & November 2026
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency will present its proposal for Sweden, including proposed legislative amendments, by September 1, and its final report by November 13.
October 2027
Swedish legislation must be in place by June at the latest.
April 2028
By April 17 at the latest, the national system must be in place and the requirements must take effect.
April 2029
As of April 17, micro-enterprises will also be subject to these requirements.
Producer Responsibility for Textiles
Summary
- To reduce the amount of textile waste by ensuring that textiles and shoes are collected, sorted, and recycled in a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and responsible manner.
- To promote a transition from a linear to a circular approach to textiles, in which products are used for longer periods and resources are utilized more efficiently.
- To clarify manufacturers’ responsibility for the environmental impact their products cause throughout their entire life cycle.
- To prevent fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion, which drive increased waste and high consumption of natural resources.
- To promote better conditions for the reuse, repurposing, and recycling of textiles and footwear.
Useful links to read
Would you like to check the sources? Here are the most important ones.
Would you like to talk to someone
who knows about this?
Producer responsibility is a complex topic to get to grips with. Get in touch, and we’ll go over
to explain what the rules mean for your specific business.