Starting 19 July 2026, large companies in the EU cannot destroy unsold clothing, footwear, and accessories under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Reporting obligations begin in February 2027, with medium-sized companies following from 2030.
The Commission estimates that between 4 and 9 percent of textiles placed on the EU market are destroyed before being used. The ban addresses this inefficiency directly.
The regulation does not mandate repair services. However, it removes destruction as an option and requires companies to consider alternatives such as reuse, resale, donation, or remanufacturing.
This shift changes how brands manage unsold inventory. Digital Product Passports play a central role in making repair one of those alternatives operationally.
What the EU Directive Requires
The destruction ban under ESPR:
- Prohibits the destruction of unsold apparel and footwear for large companies from July 2026
- Requires companies to disclose volumes and treatment of unsold goods
- Allows limited exceptions under specific conditions
The objective is to reduce waste and encourage circular management of products placed on the EU market. The regulation does not explicitly require brands to implement repair programs. It does, however, create regulatory pressure to develop structured alternatives to disposal.
Repair becomes one viable pathway.
Why Repair Becomes Structurally Relevant
When destruction is no longer permitted, unsold and returned products must be redirected.
Repair can:
- Restore slightly damaged stock
- Refurbish customer returns
- Extend the commercial life of seasonal inventory
- Prepare products for resale channels
For repair to function at scale, product information must be accessible and reliable.
This is where Digital Product Passports become critical.
Digital Product Passports as Repair Infrastructure
Digital Product Passports, introduced under ESPR, provide a structured digital identity for products. Each product is linked to a unique identifier and connected to product-level information.
This structured data enables repair services in practical ways.
1. Clear product identification
A unique identifier connects each product to its digital record. Repair teams can match items quickly, reducing operational uncertainty in returns and service workflows.
2. Access to product-level information
Effective repair depends on:
- Material composition
- Construction details
- Component information
- Care instructions
In many companies, this data exists but is fragmented. DPP systems structure and centralise this information, making it usable for internal repair teams or authorised partners.
3. Lifecycle continuity
Digital Product Passports allow products to remain traceable across sale, return, repair, and resale. Instead of becoming isolated stock, items remain connected to structured data.
This supports compliance with the destruction ban while enabling operational repair services.
From Compliance to Operational Readiness
The EU ban requires companies to stop destroying unsold clothes. It does not prescribe how brands must manage excess inventory, but it removes the simplest disposal pathway.
Brands that invest in structured product data are better positioned to:
- Evaluate repair feasibility
- Redirect stock efficiently
- Reduce write-offs
- Integrate resale and second-life channels
A Practical Example
Brands such as Mashu integrate structured product information into care and repair initiatives. By linking product-level data to lifecycle services, they demonstrate how digital product systems support extended product use.
Structured data makes repair manageable.
Repair as a Structured Response
The EU directive banning destruction of unsold clothes is part of a broader move toward product-level accountability.
Digital Product Passports do not replace repair services. They enable them.
By structuring product data and connecting it across teams and systems, DPPs create the infrastructure required for repair to function consistently and at scale.
Compliance removes destruction. Structured data enables alternatives.
Explore DPP Repair Readiness with Renoon
Renoon supports brands in structuring product and supplier data into interoperable Digital Product Passports that align with EU requirements and support repair, resale, and lifecycle management.
If you are preparing for the EU destruction ban and strengthening circular operations, explore our DPP insights and build your roadmap today.
Looking Ahead
The EU no longer permits destruction of unsold clothes. Fashion must adapt.
Digital Product Passports provide the structured product-level data that supports repair services and alternative inventory pathways.
Brands that act early build operational resilience and regulatory readiness at the same time.
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