A new opportunity has arisen for UK fashion and textile SMEs to join an apparel and textile EPR project. Scroll down to find out more.

UKFT is launching a competition for fashion and textile small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). UKFT will fund a project by which two SMEs will be selected to work with experts in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on a three-month project aiming to gather data to help develop an intelligent, fair and balanced EPR fee system for the UK.

EPR policy places the responsibility on producers to fund collection, sorting and recycling of products discarded by consumers. EPR systems often place a fee on each item sold into the market, to cover its future collection and recycling (and, potentially, to incentivise better product design too). 

An effective EPR policy is tailored to local contexts and industry-specific targets, thereby improving the infrastructure and economics of textile collection, sorting, reuse and recycling. Hence, for an EPR policy to succeed, coordinated efforts are needed, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including brands and retailers of all sizes. 

Previously, UKFT collaborated with QSA Partners to explore the implications of EPR fees for the UK apparel and textile industry. Building on this work, we aim to engage the wider industry through this competition and prepare it for any implementation of an EPR approach. 

Application criteria

To participate, your business must meet the following criteria:

•    SME based in the UK and actively placing products in the UK market
•    Operate within the apparel or textiles industry (incl. home textiles)
•    Produce and/or sell 20,000 – 30,000 units on the UK market within a year

Successful applicants will get an opportunity to work closely with an external organisation with experience and expertise in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

Please note you will need to provide access to products and sales data for in-depth analysis. A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be signed between the two organisations to protect your data.

Interested in applying?

If you are interested in participating and meet the application criteria, complete the application form by 20 September 2024:

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