The UK government is developing an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles. It is not yet law, but the direction is clear — here is what is known and how to prepare.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy instrument that makes manufacturers and importers financially responsible for the end-of-life costs of the products they place on the market. EPR for packaging is already law in the UK (effective from 2025 for large producers). EPR for textiles — including fashion — is under active development by DEFRA and is expected to follow. This guide covers what is known, what is proposed, and how a UK knitwear brand should think about preparing.
Note: At the time of writing (June 2026), UK EPR for textiles has not been enacted as law. Policy is developing. Check the DEFRA policy tracker for current status before acting on anything in this article.
Under EPR, producers (manufacturers who brand and sell products, and importers who bring branded products into the UK) are required to financially contribute to the cost of collecting, sorting, recycling and disposing of their products at end of life. The rationale: those who profit from placing products on the market should bear the cost of managing those products when they are discarded, rather than the cost falling on local authorities and ultimately taxpayers.
Under packaging EPR (the live model), producers register with a compliance scheme and pay a fee per unit or per tonne of packaging placed on the UK market. The fee reflects the cost of managing that material type at end of life. For textiles, a similar model is expected — a fee per garment or per kg, paid by whoever places the garment on the UK market under their brand.
Under EPR, the "producer" is the entity that places the product on the market under their brand — not the factory that made it. For a UK knitwear brand importing from Turkey: the UK brand is the producer, not Kiwi Giyim. The obligation follows the brand name on the label, not the country of manufacture. This is how packaging EPR works and textiles EPR is expected to follow the same model.
France launched the world's first textile EPR scheme in January 2022 (via Refashion, previously Eco TLC). The EU is developing a harmonised EPR for textiles under the Sustainable Products Regulation. The UK is developing its own scheme independently post-Brexit, but likely to follow similar principles given the policy rationale and pressure from civil society and the industry.
DEFRA ran a call for evidence on EPR for textiles in 2022–2023, inviting input from industry, retailers, charities, local authorities and consumers. The responses supported the principle of EPR for textiles. DEFRA subsequently published a policy position confirming intent to introduce EPR for textiles, with detailed design to follow. The design was not finalised by early 2026.
The scheme is expected to cover: clothing and footwear; household textiles. The obligation is expected to apply to: UK manufacturers; UK importers (brands that bring garments into the UK); UK online marketplaces (for goods sold direct from overseas). Small producers will likely have a lower obligation or de minimis threshold — as with packaging EPR (below £2m turnover or below 50 tonnes packaging are thresholds in the packaging scheme).
The French Refashion scheme uses eco-modulation — fees are adjusted based on end-of-life characteristics of the garment (recyclability, durability, presence of hazardous substances). A garment made from 100% recyclable single-fibre natural wool attracts a lower fee than a complex multi-fibre blend. If the UK adopts eco-modulation, knitwear in pure natural fibres may be at a structural advantage over synthetic blends. This has not been confirmed for the UK scheme.
As of mid-2026, UK textile EPR has not been enacted as primary or secondary legislation. The policy direction is clear; the detailed design, fee rates, compliance scheme structure and implementation timeline are not yet finalised. Check the DEFRA policy tracker at gov.uk for current status. We will update this article as the policy develops.
EPR fees will almost certainly be calculated based on units or weight placed on the UK market. If you don't already record this at a style and material level, start doing so now. SKU-level volume and material composition data — which you probably have for labelling compliance purposes — is also what you'll need for EPR reporting.
If the UK scheme eco-modulates on recyclability (as France does), 100% wool knitwear is structurally better positioned than polyester/wool blends. Your fibre composition data (already collected for UK Textile Regulations compliance) is the same data that would flow into an eco-modulated EPR calculation. Keep this accurate and accessible.
Subscribe to DEFRA's policy notification list (gov.uk) for textiles EPR updates. The Textile Services Association (TSA) and the British Fashion Council (BFC) track this policy closely — their newsletters are good secondary sources. Don't rely on social media for policy updates; government.gov.uk is the authoritative source.
It would be premature to build reporting systems, register with compliance schemes, or hire dedicated EPR resource before the scheme is enacted and the detailed design is published. The packaging EPR scheme had a 12–18 month lead time between final design publication and compliance obligation start — a similar lead time is likely for textiles. Use this period to collect the data you'll need, not to comply with a scheme that doesn't yet exist.
If the UK EPR scheme eco-modulates on product characteristics, your sourcing decisions today may affect your EPR fees in the future. Consider:
100% wool, merino, cashmere, and cotton knitwear is more readily recyclable than fibre blends and is not complicated by synthetic content. If eco-modulation rewards recyclability, these products attract lower fees. Polyester/wool blends — common in mid-market knitwear for cost reduction — may attract higher fees if synthetic content is penalised.
France's Refashion scheme provides a bonus for products certified as durable (longer expected lifespan). Premium knitwear in higher-quality construction has a longer in-use lifespan than fast fashion — if UK EPR rewards durability, investment in product quality has a potential EPR cost benefit alongside the margin and positioning benefits.
Recyclability can be affected by trims — zips, buttons, interfacings and coatings that are difficult to separate from the textile. For knitwear, the main body is typically single-fibre and easy to recycle; it's the trims and labels that complicate the picture. Water-soluble labels, natural-fibre buttons, and avoiding plastic bonding are small design choices that may have EPR fee implications if recyclability is eco-modulated.
Garments that fail in care — that shrink, felt, or pill because of inadequate care instructions — have shorter lifespans. Accurate, clear care labelling (ISO 3758 symbols, specific wash temperature, dry flat instruction for merino) supports the product surviving multiple washes and lasting longer. EPR schemes that reward longevity reward products with honest care instructions.
Natural-fibre, flat-knit knitwear in durable construction is structurally well-positioned for any EPR scheme that rewards recyclability and durability. We help UK brands produce knitwear that is worth keeping — which is also the best long-term answer to EPR compliance.
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