The apparel industry dumps 92 million tons of textiles a year. The European Union hopes new rules will increase recycling, repair and second-hand retail. (Source photos by Ken Kobayashi and AFP/Jiji)

From China to India, Asia braces for EU plan to kill fast fashion

Supply chains may have to shift to recyclable, durable clothes -- with uncertain consequences

SAYAN CHAKRABORTY, PAK YIU and LIEN HOANG, Nikkei staff writers

June 10, 2022 06:05 JST

BENGALURU/HONG KONG/HO CHI MINH CITY -- European regulators have declared war on "fast fashion," forcing a rethink of the throwaway culture that has dominated the 21st-century clothing industry and promising to rejigger sartorial supply chains that reach deep into Asia.

Proposed rules from the European Union would force companies to overhaul their clothing designs to meet a laundry list of criteria governing everything from how long a garment lasts, to how much recycled yarn it contains.