A comprehensive circular economy approach is the only solution that can match the scale of the global textile waste problem.

This report, written for policymakers, feeds into the global debate on textile waste and pollution. It focuses on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies, stipulating mandatory, fee-based schemes. These are a crucial policy tool to ensure discarded textiles are collected and put back in circulation at scale, rather than being incinerated or landfilled.

The data modelling and analytics used focus on selected countries (including Chile, EU Member States, Ghana, India, Kenya, Tunisia and the USA), chosen due to the significant role they play in the trade of used textiles, as well as the existence or ongoing development of EPR policy.