Fashion Transition: Eco-Design for Circularity

The fashion and textiles ecosystem is undergoing a critical transition, as circularity and sustainability become central to the European industrial strategy. Eco-design for circularity integrates responsibility across the fashion value chain while addressing the environmental, economic, cultural and social costs of fast fashion.

This transition depends on systemic innovation: relying on circular sources, enabling advanced manufacturing, increasing supply chain transparency and educating consumers to make responsible choices. Open innovation plays a vital role by connecting actors across sectors and driving the development of circular business models such as rental, resale and repair services.

However, major barriers persist: fragmented supply chains, limited local manufacturing capacity and insufficient incentives for circular design. By reimagining fashion as a distributed, transparent and regenerative ecosystem, Europe can lead a sustainable industrial future rooted in accountability, creativity and resilience.

By “Fashion Transition: Eco-design for Circularity” we refer to integrating environmental sustainability across product design, production and value chains within the fashion industrial ecosystem. This involves all stakeholders start-ups, large corporations, academic institutions and suppliers working together. The strategy aims to create a greener and more competitive sector that can withstand global disruptions. The EU’s 2030 vision for textiles envisions products that are durable, repairable, recyclable, made from recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in line with social and environmental standards (European Commission, 2020; European Union, 2024; European Commission, 2024).