The European Union has implemented a ban preventing major fashion groups — including LVMH, Prada, Chanel and Inditex — from destroying unsold clothes and footwear as part of the bloc's mission to curb waste of goods and the resources used to make them.
The rules, which take effect immediately, seek to force fashion giants to resell, repurpose or donate returns and overproduction, steering producers away from incineration and landfill.
The EU estimates up to 9 percent of clothing is incinerated unworn, with little recycled and much sent to landfills, and says destroying unsold stock in Europe emits about 5.6 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.
The new ban forbids destruction — and exporting garments to be destroyed — and it will be up to authorities in each member state to police and sanction those who don't comply.
Medium-sized companies will be subject to the same ban from 2030, while small and micro-businesses are exempt.
