Ecosistant extends compliance service with new EU laws

Ecosistant, a consultancy startup for recycling compliance from Germany, offers extra guidance for online fashion retailers. The service is a response to new recycling laws from the European Union (EU). In addition to packaging and electronics, the company now advises on textile waste as well.

The German Compliance as a Service (CaaS) startup was founded last year and offers digital consulting for online sellers in Europe. Their expanded service is a direct response to additional textile recycling laws from the European Union (EU). Currently, all member states are required to set up separate collection schemes for textile waste by 2025. The aim is to improve circularity in the fashion industry.

New textile waste laws

In France, online retailers selling clothes, household linen or footwear to end-consumers already have to pay an eco contribution fee. Ecommerce giant Amazon announced it will verify if merchants comply with French textile waste laws starting January next year.

In France fashion retailers already have to pay an eco contribution fee.

Sweden and the Netherlands are developing similar plans for so-called extended producer responsibility (ERP). Within two years, Dutch clothing producers and sellers will be responsible for the collection and recycling of their own products. These regulations apply to online shops as well.

Recycled packaging

In addition to new textile waste laws in the future, the EU plans to introduce revised packaging laws at the end of this year. These new rules will focus on reducing as well as increasing the recyclability of packaging.

The EU plans to introduce new packaging laws at the end of this year.

Separate packaging waste laws per country can make shipping difficult for Europe-wide fashion retailers, Ecosistant managing director Andreas Landes says: “Textile EPR will make it even more challenging for fashion e-commerce.”

Extended compliance service

Ecosistant’s subscription service now includes textile legislation in addition to laws for packaging, electronics, batteries and furniture. Customers receive ‘all important information on recycling compliance in the form of customised step-by-step instructions’, the press release says. According to their website, the company has had hundreds of customers since their launch in 2020.

The company has had hundreds of customers since their launch in 2020.

Managing director Landes: “So far recycling laws for textiles have only been relevant for online retailers that sell to France. Our service allows shop owners to stay up-to-date without further research when more countries implement such laws in the coming years.”