27/05/2026 – Circular economy — auf Deutsch lesen
Used textiles: bvse sees collection structures under pressure
After the German parliament's environment committee rejected temporary support measures, the bvse says commercial, charitable and municipal collectors of used textiles are operating at the limits of their capacity.
Marwin Gedenk stresses that the pressure to act is high. Without short term stabilisation measures, he warns of a further loss of collection and sorting capacity with direct consequences for reuse, recycling and the textile circular economy in Germany. © bvse
EPR timetable leaves a structural gap
The association's criticism centres on the rejection of a motion tabled by the parliamentary group of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen. The proposal aimed at short term transition measures to stabilise textile collection until an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme is introduced and reflected key demands from the bvse's seven point plan.
According to Marwin Gedenk, chair of the bvse Textile Recycling Division, the vote once again underlines that parts of the political sphere have not engaged sufficiently with the legal and practical challenges of used textile management. At the same time he welcomes the fact that the Greens have acknowledged the risk to existing collection structures.
Gedenk strongly rejects arguments from SPD ranks that no state support is needed because producers will be responsible in future. He points out that there is currently no EPR system for textiles in Germany. The amended European Waste Framework Directive must first be transposed into national law by June 2027, and a functioning EPR system does not have to be in place until April 2028.
Fast fashion increases pressure on sorting and collection
From the bvse's perspective, this comes too late for the collection and sorting infrastructure that is already under considerable strain. Until EPR is implemented, commercial, charitable and public waste management operators have to cope alone with steadily rising volumes of used textiles.
The association highlights in particular the impact of large quantities of fast fashion and ultra fast fashion, which are pushing the collection and recycling structures that have been built up over decades towards their limits.
Call for interim support and clear enforcement guidance
The association also questions the view that uniform guidance is neither possible nor necessary because textile collection falls under municipal supervision. In Gedenk's view, the issue is not interference in local responsibilities but a common orientation for the separation requirement laid down in the German Circular Economy Act, which is currently interpreted very differently across the country.
