Advancing Circularity in the Textile Value Chain: A Critical Analysis of EU and Member State Legislation

This article investigates how EU and Member State legislation contributes to advancing circularity in the textile value chain, a priority sector due to its significant environmental impacts and economic relevance. The research aims to address the lack of comprehensive analysis of national legislation supporting textile circularity and to assess its alignment with the evolving EU framework. An inventory and critical analysis of legislative measures adopted at EU and Member State levels, covering all phases of the textile value chain, has been developed, based on review of the literature, screening of European Environment Agency and European Commission reports, and targeted web search. Results show that recent reforms of EU legislation, such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and the revised Waste Framework Directive, have marked a shift toward a more systemic, lifecycle-oriented regulatory framework promoting textile circularity. Moreover, approximately 130 national policy initiatives and legislative measures exceeding EU requirements have been identified, with legislation focusing especially on the consumption and end-of-life stages and relevant innovation in countries such as France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. However, regulatory gaps remain, particularly regarding consumption, prevention of textile waste, secondary raw materials market, and recycling capacity. The findings also highlight the importance of stronger policy coherence between EU and national legislation.