The destruction of returned and unsold textiles in Europe: what we need to know and why it matters for Ukraine

In February 2024, the European Environment Agency (EEA) released a comprehensive analytical report titled “The destruction of returned and unsold textiles in Europe’s circular economy.” The publication sheds light on the alarming scale of textile destruction across Europe and is part of a broader policy-driven effort to transition the textile sector toward circularity.

The Numbers That Shock: Scale of the Problem

🔹 264,000 to 594,000 tonnes of textiles are destroyed every year in the EU — before reaching consumers.
🔹 20% of clothing bought online is returned, and up to one-third of those returns are destroyed.
🔹 21% of textile products are never sold, and around 20% of these unsold items are also destroyed.

The reasons? Overproduction, fast-changing fashion trends, poor demand forecasting, aggressive return policies, and the ongoing perception that destruction is an “economically reasonable” option.

What Gets Destroyed?

The EEA categorizes destroyed products as follows:

• Returned items (often fully functional)
  
  
• Overstocks (unsold inventory straight from production)
  
  
• Obsolete models (no longer in demand)
  
  
• Damaged or recalled goods (due to quality or safety issues)
  
  

Environmental Footprint: High Cost of Unused Production

Estimates show that textile destruction accounts for 132,000 to 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent annually — roughly the same emissions as over 1 million petrol cars per year. All for products that were never used.

Moreover, a significant portion of unsold goods is exported to the Global South, where they often end up in open landfills or are burned in the open air, releasing toxins without any filtration or environmental control.

How Is Europe Responding?

The EU has taken a bold step forward.
In December 2023, a new regulation — ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) — was provisionally agreed, which:

• Requires transparency on the number of unsold consumer products destroyed each year;
  
  
• Bans the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear, with exemptions for micro and small enterprises;
  
  
• Encourages the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles.
  
  

What Can We Do in Ukraine?

Unfortunately, Ukraine currently lacks reliable statistics on the destruction of returned and unsold textiles. The key reasons are the absence of infrastructure, transparent tracking systems, and regulatory frameworks for textile waste management.

But we can change that.

Re:inventex Recommendations

 For Manufacturers, Brands, and Retailers:

• Plan collections based on actual demand to avoid overproduction.
  
  
• Use digital tools for demand forecasting and inventory management.
  
  
• Reduce return rates by offering personalized sizing solutions.
  
  
• Integrate recyclability into design: develop products that are easier to recycle.
  
  
• Send unsold and returned items to responsible recycling — not to incineration or landfill.
  
  

 For Consumers:

• Buy less, but buy better.
  
  
• Return only what is truly necessary.
  
  
• Support brands committed to sustainability.
  
  
• Ask questions like: “Where do your unsold products end up?”
  
  

To address textile waste in Ukraine, we need more than recycling — we need traceability: accurate tracking of volumes, types of materials, sorting outcomes, and end-of-life impact.

Re:inventex is Ukraine’s only certified textile waste recycler, and we are already:

• Processing up to 3,500 tonnes of textiles annually;
  
  
• Operating in compliance with EU standards;
  
  
• Producing recycled fiber for new products — turning waste into value.
  
  

We’re ready to collaborate with brands, manufacturers, logistics providers, online marketplaces, and public authorities to build a truly circular textile economy in Ukraine.

Overview of the European Environment Agency (EEA) Report (2024)
https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/the-destruction-of-returned-and/the-destruction-of-returned-and/download.pdf.static

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