Düsseldorf Fashion Days - Business as usual? Not everywhere!

While trade was taking place in the 600 showrooms and trade fairs, 30 entrepreneurs from the Netherlands and Germany met at Neonyt to exchange ideas about the requirements of the Green New Deal. The focus was on extended producer responsibility (EPR), which provides for all companies that sell clothing (manufacturers & importers).

The directive has already been in force in the Netherlands since July 2023 and will take effect in Germany from January 2025 and all other EU member states.

The EPR already applies in other industries such as the automotive and battery industries, and the expansion to packaging, fashion and furniture is being rolled out. In general, the EPR determines the repairability as well as the offer/support of repair infrastructure, the take-back of goods and a recycling rate in the company's own products.

Using the example of the Netherlands, this means, for example, that:

1. No product may be placed on the market, that does not comply with the regulations.
2. The content in newly sold products must be 50 percent (!!) recycled from 2025 raising to 75% in 2030.
3. A fee is due for all products placed on the market (not just those sold).

So how can fashion be transformed into a circular system? What knowledge, what cooperations and which processes and tools are needed for this? The Circular Circuit initiative addresses these questions after a 3-month research with about 200 interviews with representatives from the sectors of brands & designers, producers, recyclers, sales (platform operators & stationary trade), material manufacturers, fulfillment, science. The first Pit Stop took place along Neonyt Düsseldorf with an international round table, an exhibition and talks from 26-28 July to deepen the findings.

"We were surprised at how unknown the directive still is in view of the effects on brands in Germany in particular. Both in our own processes but above all in future coordination with other sectors." Rosan van Boven, co-founder of Fabriek Fris & Nils Bader, founder of Green Product Awards.

Cognitions

1. Of all sectors, for the brands brands are the least prepared for the upcoming regulations, therefore is was really valuable for them  to exchange knowledge and exchange best pro-actives.
    
2. The requirement for circularity poses many but much more concrete challenges.
    
3. The respondents see coordination with other sectors as more challenging than measures in their own companies, citing finding the right partners, using a compatible infrastructure (e.g. for data), influencing one's own business model and identifying new business models.
    
4. In view of the coming volumes in textile recycling, the current collection and recycling system is completely unsuitable.
    
5. There is an immense need for knowledge regarding circular design, LCA, materials, and much more.

6. The need for best practices to orient towards ideal-typical projects was mentioned by all participants.

The exchange in this intensive format was rated positively and extremely positively in terms of gaining knowledge. In fact, the foundation for concrete cooperation across all sectors was laid here.

See event pictures in  >> the gallery

Rewatch >> the presentations

 

Circular Circuit

This is the first of several pit stops on the way to a learning and networking platform on the topic of circular fashion against the backdrop of the Green New Deal guidelines such as the EPR. Initiators are Fabriek Fris and the Green Product Awards. The events and platform are aimed at material producers, designers, brands, manufacturers, retailers, fullfilment service providers, recyclers and academia. The event is supported by RVO, Creative NL and Modint, the Dutch network for the clothing, interior, carpet and textile industry.

 

Fabriek Fris
Fabriek Fris develops and produces various clothing for Dutch fashion brands. They are a social ready-to-wear workshop where they have been offering paid jobs, internships, apprenticeships and internal training to experienced and emerging makers. Through fair and local production Fabriek Fris is committed to make social impact, less CO2 emissions, better working conditions and a thriving economy for more economic equality.

Green Product Awards
The Green Product Award recognises products from companies and start-ups that stand out for their sustainability, design and impact. The awards are presented in 12 categories for the best product from a company, a start-up and the best concept. The Green Future Club organises parallel training sessions, events and the implementation of pilot projects. 

IGEDO EXHIBITIONS
By licensing Neonyt Düsseldorf, IGEDO EXHIBITIONS, organiser of the order fairs FASHN ROOMS and SHOES DÜSSELDORF, has taken on the responsibility of realising new ideas at the Düsseldorf location and contributing to the further development of the format. 

 

Further information

hello@circularcircuit.com
+49 (0) 3025742884
circularcircuit.com