Accelerating Eco-Innovation

Eco-innovation has become a critical priority for manufacturers, designers, and environmental experts worldwide. We examine the details of the topic under three main themes: circularity, traceability, and transparency, using information compiled from regulations.

Circularity ‍

European Commission, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: Study on new product priorities (2024), report’s recyclability: ease and quality of recycling section has 3 main themes. We listed selected contents that can be adaptable to textile products. ‍

Ability to easily separate the product into different materials; Avoid connections that enclose material permanently, such as rivets,

Choice of materials and restrictions on substances: Avoiding hazardous substances that cause material streams not to meet the requirements to be recycled and reused in new products in the future,

Transparency‍

Transparency in the textile industry is essential for building consumer trust and also for acknowledging the material and process information by all stakeholders of the industry. Transparency is the essential notion for sustainable textiles, ethical fashion, and for building a traceable supply chain. Two additional topics from the report, under the recyclability section related to traceability, are listed here.‍

Access to product data relevant to recycling, including dismantling information: Using component and material coding standards for the identification of materials, making available, on a free-access website, the dismantling information needed to access any of the product components,‍

Recyclability information to consumers/recyclability claims; Including a sentence or a pictogram about product disposal, providing information on the recyclability of the product.

Traceability‍

Traceability in textiles tracks materials from origin to finished product, ensuring transparency in sourcing, production, and impacts. It verifies sustainability claims, supports ethical practices, and promotes accountability, driving a more responsible and circular industry. The report underlines the introduction of a digital product passport, which will streamline the implementation of traceability requirements. Additionally, shares on implementation; the digital tool can be achieved by the electronic registration, processing, and sharing of product-related information among supply chain stakeholders, authorities, and consumers.‍

As evident from the report's content and the conceptual approach outlined, circularity, traceability, and transparency are inherently interconnected. This integrated structure highlights why the conceptual approach offers a clearer framework for understanding the systemic changes and innovations required, emphasizing the need for collective action.

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