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Webinar-Series: Europes Green Transition in the Textile Sector

The webinar series of The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie continues!

Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: A Game Changer for the Textile Sector?

Join us and FABRIC on 31st of January from 10am CET on for the third session of the webinar series. This time, we will shed a light on the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Hear from experts and stakeholders what is coming and how to be best prepared. Is the regulation going to be a game changer for the textile sector?

Registrations are possible via this link. An overview of the upcoming webinar sessions can be found here.

On 31st of January, Tim Becker (REACHLaw), Roman Houlbreque (retraced) and Gabrielle Shiner-Hill (bureau_555) will share their knowledge with us on the ESPR as well as on the Digital Product Pass (DPP). The session will delve into the textile-specific aspects of the ESPR and provide insights into the evolving discussions around the DPP at the EU level, helping brands and suppliers prepare for the impending Regulation's impact on the textile industry.

The initial proposal of the EU Commission on the ESPR was published on March 30, 2022. Trilogue negotiations followed in 2023 and a compromise between Parliament and Council was found in December 2023. While many of the details still need to be regulated in delegated acts in the coming years, the regulation is expected to be adopted in Q1 2024.

This regulation, a cornerstone of the EU's Green Deal, extends the scope of the existing Ecodesign Directive to cover a broader range of products, including textiles. It seeks to introduce ecodesign requirements for specific product groups, with a focus on improving circularity, energy performance, and other environmental sustainability aspects. Textiles are prioritized as a product group. The ESPR mandates ecodesign requirements for product performance and information disclosure while addressing concerns such as the destruction of unsold products. In fact, recent amendments have strengthened the proposed ban on the destruction of unsold goods for certain specified sectors, including textiles and footwear. Furthermore, the webinar will explore the concept of the Digital Product Passport (DPP), which aims to standardize product information, enhance traceability, and support repair and recycling efforts.

Webinar Series: Europe's Green Transition in the Textile Sector: EU Waste Legislation

The webinar series of The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie continues!

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, the Green Button and FABRIC for the fourth session of our six-months webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Green Deal and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

On 07th February, 10am – 11:30 am CET, we will take a closer look at the landscape of the EU waste legislation. This time, our experts will be:

Marie-Jeanne Gaertner, (RReuse), Beatriz Fernandez (UNEP) and Edwina Huang (Phoenxt)

Registrations are possible via this link. An overview of the upcoming webinar sessions can be found here.

In July 2023, the European Commission published its proposal to revise the Waste Framework Directive. The main objective of the revision is to make producers responsible for the full lifecycle of textile products and to support the sustainable management of textile waste across the EU. In November 2023, the European Parliament and the Council reached a compromise on the new Waste Shipment Regulation. The primary objective of the new law is to make sure the EU does not longer export its waste problems to third countries. In December, an agreement on new Ecodesign rules followed, including a ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear. Together, these new laws will change the way the EU handles textiles waste.

In this seminar we will dive into the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) and touch upon the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR), addressing crucial aspects, including the legislative scope, progress, and promotion of sustainable waste practices. We will particularly explore mandatory extended producer responsibility, as well as end of life criteria to better distinguish textile waste from second-hand clothing.

Webinar-Series: Europe’s Green Transition in the Textile Sector

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, the Green Button and FABRIC for the fifth session of our six-months webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Textile Strategy and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

In the session on 28^th February, 10am – 11:30 am CET, we will take a closer look at the current proposal on a future without modern slavery together with our experts:

Anna Cavazzini (MEP The Greens/EFA)
Libby Annat (Due Diligence Design)
Clemence Aron (Mekong Club)

Registrations are possible via this link. An overview of the upcoming webinar sessions can be found here.

In September 2022, the European Commission proposed a “Regulation to prohibit products made using forced labour on the European Union internal market” and underlined the EU’s efforts to ban all products made under such conditions - including child labour – for domestic consumption, export and import. After the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position in November 2023, the Council of the EU followed in January 2024 and paved the way for the interinstitutional negotiations (“Trialogue”) to begin.

In this seminar, we will dive into the proposed regulation and highlight its impact on the textile sector. We will particularly explore how brands can prepare for the regulation and identify strategies and tools to identify, address and mitigate risks associated with forced labour in supply chains.

Six-month webinar series

You want to know more about the legislative framework under the EU Green Deal and how it could initiate change and affect your business? Join us for a series of six webinars on upcoming legislation under the EU Green Deal and the EU Textile Strategy!

The webinar series will provide you with:

an introduction to the wider EU policy landscape and how upcoming legislations relate to international obligations
a deep dive into specific legislative initiatives that will transform the textile and apparel sector in the coming years
a better understanding of how these initiatives will likely impact companies and global supply chains.

Please click here for more information on the series and registration.

Webinar-Series: Europe's Green Transition in the Textile Sector – Green Claims

The webinar series of The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategy comes to an end!

Join us on 6^th of March from 10am CET on for the last session of the webinar series:

TACKLING GREENWASHING: THE DIRECTIVE TO EMPOWER CONSUMERS FOR THE GREEN TRANSITION AND THE GREEN CLAIMS DIRECTIVE

We will shed light on the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition and the Green Claims Directive. Hear from experts and stakeholders what is coming and how to be best prepared.

Registrations are possible via this link. An overview of the webinar series can be found here. If you are interested in the recordings of the session, please contact info@gruener-knopf.de or mail@textilbuendnis.com.

The Empowering Consumers for a Green Transition Directive aims at equipping consumers with the knowledge of how to contribute to the green transition. Among other things, it targets generic environmental claims such as eco-friendly, green or climate neutral. On 19/09/2023, the European Parliament (EP) and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the directive as part of the trilogue negotiations, which were thus concluded very quickly. The European Parliament plenary approved new EU rules on 17/01/2024.

The question of claims is tackled and operationalized more specifically in the Substantiating Green Claims Directive, which was published in March 2023 by the EU Commission. Currently, there is no comprehensive EU framework to tackle false or misleading environmental claims. The objective is to combat greenwashing, make green claims reliable and verifiable across the EU and thereby help consumers to make better informed and sustainable purchasing decisions.

In addition, the proposed directive addresses the jungle of environmental labelling schemes by putting a stop to new public labelling schemes. Any new private labelling schemes must prove that they are of added value compared to existing labels.

Extension of the transitional period for the fiber and material requirements until July 31rst, 2026

With the introduction of the Green Button 2.0 in August 2022, requirements for the use of fibers and materials in Green Button products were defined for the first time. They intend to promote the sustainable extraction of raw materials and the recyclability of textile products in the long term. Following the expiry of the previous transitional period, the requirements should come into force from July 31rst, 2024. The transitional period for the fiber and material requirements of the Green Button 2.0 has now been extended until July 31rst, 2026 by the Green Button's scheme holder, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The main reason for the extension of the transitional period is the fact that various political regulations for the textile sector in the European Union (EU) are currently being discussed, which are likely to have a major impact on the requirements of the Green Button, particularly in the area of fibers and materials.

These primarily include the EU Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR), the Green Claims Directive and the revision of the Textile Labeling Regulation (TLR).

The ESPR is intended to set requirements for the design and material selection of textiles. The relevant legislation, including the introduction of a digital product passport, will come into force between 2024 and 2027.
The Green Claims Directive is intended to regulate sustainability claims and limit the proliferation of ecolabels. This directive will be implemented by the member states 24 months after it is adopted at EU level.
The revision of the Textile Labelling Regulation (TLR) will also place new requirements on the physical and digital labeling of textiles.

The implications of these regulations for standards and the sector as a whole are not yet foreseeable. Against this backdrop, there is a considerable risk that the Green Button will impose requirements on the use of fibers and materials that would have to be adjusted or withdrawn once the regulations come into force.

Licensees can continue to voluntarily have products certified according to the fiber and material requirements of the Green Button 2.0 until July 31rst, 2026. The meta seal requirements for the manufacturing and wet processes are not affected by this extended transition period; these must be met in accordance with the Green Button Standard 2.0 from July 31rst, 2024.

With the adjusted transition period, products can be awarded the Green Button 2.0 after 31.07.2024 if they

meet the Green Button 2.0 requirements for corporate due diligence processes
are certified with Green Button 2.0-recognized labels for wet processes and manufacturing.
also meet the fiber and material requirements of the Grüner Knopf 2.0.

Note: The information on the website regarding the transition period is currently being revised.

New certification label recognised for the Green Button 2.0

One more certification label has successfully passed the benchmarking process and is thus established as recognised certification label for production process requirements (meta-label approach) under Green Button 2.0.

From now on, the following certification label will be accepted:

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): for manufacturing and wet processes and as before for the fibre and material production for the use of plant-based and animal fibres and for the use of man-made fibres with a proportion greater than 10% and less than 30% in the final product.

This newly evaluated certification label complements the recognised certification labels published in the last months:

bluesign®PRODUCT: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester and down.
Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
Fairtrade Cotton: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
Fairtrade Textile Standard: For the recognition scope manufacturing
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use
Global Recycled Standard (GRS): For the recognition scope wet processes in combination with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and for fibre and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
Naturtextil IVN zertifiziert BEST: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres
Organic Content Standard (OCS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres as well as regenerated fibres
OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN: For the recognition scope manufacturing and wet processes. For the recognition scope of fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3) or the use of organic cotton
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3) as well as for the use of recycled fibers and materials
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 „organic“: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of organic cotton
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of organic cotton
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
Responsible Down Standard (RDS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of down.
Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
SA8000: For the recognition scope manufacturing

All certification labels recognised for Green Button regarding the supply chain levels wet processing and manufacturing as well as fiber and material use can be found here. The list will be further supplemented at a later date. This document lists all fibres and materials approved for the Green Button 2.0, combined with the respective recognised certification labels.

To meet the Green Button requirements for production processes and to be able to label products, companies must demonstrate recognised certification labels for all three areas (fibre and material use, wet processes, manufacturing). Prior to this, companies must demonstrate compliance with the requirements for corporate due diligence processes within a Green Button audit.

Recognition of the aforementioned certification labels is the result of a recognition process outlined in this fact sheet as well as in Green Button Standard 2.0: Process and Requirements for the Recognition of Certification Labels. Newly recognised certification labels were assessed prior to their recognition to determine whether they met the content requirements of the Green Button Standard as well as the eligibility requirements, which include requirements for their credibility. The recognition of the certification labels issued by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is valid until the next revision of the Green Button. The recognition of the certification labels issued by the BMZ is valid until the next revision of the Green Button. Should the certification label itself undergo changes, it is to be reviewed in accordance with the Green Button Standard whether the recognition needs to be elicited in a new benchmarking.

Documents for download:

Guidance to the list of approved fibres and materials including recognised certification labels (This list will be continuously updated and added to. The next update is due beginning of 2024.)
Overview recognised certification labels (this list will be continuously updated and added to)

Webinar Series: Europe’s Green Transition in the Textile Sector

The webinar series of The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie goes into the second round.

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the Green Button on 23rd of October 2023 for the second session of the webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Green Deal and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

In late 2019, the European Commission published its European Green Deal, the EU’s new growth strategy to make the EU climate neutral by 2050 and to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. In March 2022, the publication of the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles followed, setting out a vision to ensure that: “By 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment.”

Under these strategies, the EU Commission has put forward several far-reaching legislative initiatives, many of them are expected to enter into force from 2025 and 2026 onwards. Introducing far-reaching new design requirements, greenwashing regulation, rules to prevent overproduction and overconsumption, and rules to handle textile waste more responsibly, these initiatives will completely overhaul the rules for production, consumption, sale, and disposal of textiles in the EU.

You want to know more about the legislative framework under the EU Green Deal and how it could initiate change and affect your business? Join us for the next webinars on upcoming legislation under the EU Green Deal and the EU Textile Strategy!

The webinar series will provide you with:

an introduction to the wider EU policy landscape and how upcoming legislations relate to international obligations
a deep dive into specific legislative initiatives that will transform the textile and apparel sector in the coming years
a better understanding of how these initiatives will likely impact companies and global supply chains.

Please click here for more information on the series.

4 years of providing orientation for consumers - 4 years of assuming responsibility for supply chains: The government-run certification label Green Button celebrates its birthday

For four years, the government-run certification label Green Button has been showing which companies are fulfilling their responsibility for people and the environment in their supply chains and has been marking their sustainable products – with increasing success:

47% of people in Germany are familiar with the Green Button and, at 67%, trust in the label is particularly high. [1]
From socks to hats, from cooking aprons to tents, products with the Green Button can now be found in numerous product categories and for every budget. Since the Green Button was introduced in 2019, well over 300 million labeled products have already crossed the counter. [2]
The Green Button has also set standards in private and public procurement. In fan shops, hospitals, hotels, at the supermarket checkout or on the train - it's hard to imagine the public sphere without the Green Button.

Four years after its market launch, Christine Moser-Priewich and Florian Tiedtke therefore assess the label's performance positively. Both have been jointly managing the Green Button Secretariat since July 1st, 2023. Florian Tiedtke emphasizes the credibility of the label: "The Green Button is run by the state, which creates trust. Two out of three people who know about the Green Button have already consciously put a product with the certification label in their shopping basket. This shows that the Green Button is really used as an orientation when shopping." Christine Moser-Priewich adds: "It is particularly pleasing that more than 40 companies have already successfully completed the more comprehensive audits under the stricter standard version, the Green Button 2.0." The Green Button 2.0 also takes into account the fibers and materials used and requires companies to take first steps towards living wages. "The success of the Green Button shows that consumers want to buy more sustainable products and that at the same time companies are focusing more on their own responsibility in the supply chain", Moser-Priewich continued.

The Green Button is not only the first certification label that evaluates due diligence requirements, it is also considered very comprehensive because it sets requirements on two levels: First, it checks whether companies are working in a way that better protects people and the environment in their supply chains. Additionally, it must be proven by recognized labels that the products carrying the Green Button have been produced socially and ecologically.

The Green Button certification bodies are independent and are monitored by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS). The DAkkS has also certified that the audits are carried out uniformly and that results are comparable. This shows the reliability of the label’s certification system and further contributes to its credibility.

Background

Many textiles are produced in countries of the Global South, mostly by women and often under inhumane conditions. The environment also suffers. To change this, companies must fulfill their due diligence obligations. The government-run certification label Green Button shows which companies meet their due diligence obligations and which products have been produced sustainably. The label is issued by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which is thus further promoting the protection of people and the environment in global supply chains.

Contact:
Green Button Secretariat
Potsdamer Platz 10
10785 Berlin, Germany
T +49 30 / 338 424 - 777
info@gruener-knopf.de
www.gruener-knopf.de

[1] Results of a representative survey conducted by the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung GfK on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), July 2023.

[2] GIZ survey among Green Button licensees, August 2023.

Webinar Series: Europe’s Green Transition in the Textile Sector

The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button launch joint webinar series on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie.

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the Green Button on 21^st of September 2023 for the kick-off of its upcoming six-month webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Green Deal and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

Six-months webinar series is launching now

The webinar series will provide you with:

an introduction to the wider EU policy landscape and how upcoming legislations relate to international obligations
a deep dive into specific legislative initiatives that will transform the textile and apparel sector in the coming years
a better understanding of how these initiatives will likely impact companies and global supply chains.

Please click here for more information on the series.

21^st of September 2023 10am – 12pm

Kick-off and deep dive into the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

This kick-off session will set the scene for the upcoming webinars, provide an overview of the policy landscape, and dive into one of the initiatives at the heart of the Green Transition: The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). We will look into the details of the CSDDD proposal and its likely implications for the textile sector, both for brands and retailers as well as for suppliers. We will focus on critical issues, the different positions of stakeholders, and learn about where the policy process stands.

Register here.

New certification labels recognised for the Green Button 2.0 I 28.06.2023

More certification labels have successfully passed the benchmarking process and are thus established as recognised certification labels for production process requirements (meta-label approach) under Green Button 2.0.

From now on, the following certification label will be accepted for certain fibres and materials on the level of raw material extraction

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: for the use of recycled fibres and materials (sub scope 3 and 7)
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 „organic“: for the use of organic cotton (sub scope 5)
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON: for the use of organic cotton (sub scope 5)

For OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN, the requirements in the scope of fibre and material use can be met by OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON for the sub-scopes mentioned.

An OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN product may, fulfil the fibre requirements of the Green Button. This always requires a verification of the underlying OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certificate and the material composition of the product.

These newly evaluated certification labels complement the recognised certification labels published in the last months:

bluesign®PRODUCT: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester and down.
Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
Fairtrade Cotton: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
Fairtrade Textile Standard: For the recognition scope manufacturing
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres and for the use of man-made fibres greater than 10% and less than 30%
Global Recycled Standard (GRS): For the recognition scope wet processes in combination with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and for fibre and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
Naturtextil IVN zertifiziert BEST: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres
Organic Content Standard (OCS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres as well as regenerated fibres
OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN: For the recognition scope manufacturing and wet processes. For the recognition scope of fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
Responsible Down Standard (RDS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of down.
Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
SA8000: For the recognition scope manufacturing

This document lists all fibres and materials approved for the Green Button 2.0, combined with the respective recognised certification labels. All certification labels recognised for Green Button regarding the supply chain levels wet processing and manufacturing can be found here. The list will be further supplemented at a later date.

Documents for download: