BRUSSELS – EU environment commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevičius, has told Apparel Insider the fashion industry is currently “free riding” on the circular system for PET bottles to source its recycled polyester. In an interview about the European Union’s new textile strategy, he said that creating recycled polyester from plastic bottles is a, “growing concern that is not in line with circular economy principles.”
At present, the overwhelming majority of recycled polyester comes from plastic bottles, with a limited amount being sourced from the chemical or mechanical recycling of polyester.
In a wide-ranging interview, Sinkevičius discussed the issue of textile recycling, microplastic pollution from clothing, fashion greenwashing and sustainability claims and time-frames for when new EU regulations will come into force.
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