In a period of continuous and demanding geopolitical shifts, it’s vital to acknowledge the strategic importance of circular, service-oriented business models that enhance competitiveness and resilience while fulfilling Europe’s sustainability goals.
Several key legislative initiatives are advancing in Brussels, prompting reflection on what textile services require to maintain sustainable practices. Public procurement policies are an effective means to promote and support circular business models and pursue the EU’s strategic autonomy goals.
EU public bodies annually spend over €2.6 trillion on services, works, and supplies, representing roughly 15 percent of the EU’s GDP. Nevertheless, a significant portion of this spending is allocated to linear services and disposable goods, hindering progress towards the EU’s environmental and industrial aims.
As the EU’s public procurement rules are revised, it’s important to recognize that the textile rental industry significantly assists the EU’s circular economy and environmental objectives. There should be a mandate for green public procurement across all EU member states, encouraging practices like leasing models or product-as-a-service models instead of direct purchases.
Public procurement should consider a comprehensive lifecycle approach focused on long-term environmental and social performance rather than just value-for-money criteria. Making lifecycle costing an essential award criterion will ensure sustainability is assessed throughout a contract’s duration, not solely at purchase.
The upcoming Circular Economy Act should prioritize product longevity. The most eco-friendly product is one that remains in use the longest, emphasizing durability and repairability as key environmental benefits.
ETSA members already implement sustainable business models through product-as-a-service frameworks, promoting repair, reuse, and extended use. Such models need legislative support alongside recycling initiatives. Extending product life provides more significant climate and resource advantages than recycling after short usage periods, preserving embedded energy, water, and raw materials.
Prioritizing longevity doesn’t mean neglecting end-of-life solutions. Simultaneously, ETSA members collaborate on a joint recycling pilot project, turning circular goals into practical industry solutions. They are developing innovative techniques to convert end-of-life textiles into recycled fibers for insulation materials, industrial wipers, and other high-value uses, aiming towards closed-loop systems where recycled fibers increasingly become raw materials for new textiles.
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