D66 wants to make textile industry greener as parties speak out against Black Friday

Political parties are increasingly concerned about the consequences of Black Friday. The bargain festival from America leads to busy days for parcel deliverers, and the parties point to the consequences of selling very cheap clothing and gadgets for the climate and environment. Coalition party D66 will present an action plan on Black Friday to make the polluting textile energy greener, a sector that is “more polluting than aviation and shipping combined.”

This week, the PvdA drew attention to the consequences of the massive sale for parcel deliveries. In the same debate, the ChristenUnie sounded the alarm about the emissions involved in online ordering and delivery. Moreover, a lot of clothing is returned and sometimes never used again. The parties increasingly have reservations about the uninhibited purchasing behavior they believe consumers are encouraged to adopt.

D66 is particularly concerned about the consequences of the polluting textile industry and “fast fashion” - the sale of extremely cheap clothing that often only lasts a short time - particularly for the climate and environment. Parliamentarian Kiki Hagen will present an initiative memorandum and draw attention to “the naked truth about clothing.” She makes seven proposals to green the clothing industry. Hagen points to the industry’s high emissions and the damage that chemical coloring, for example, does to the environment. “On top of that, we throw away 764,000 garbage trucks worth of precious materials every year worldwide.”

Hagen advocates for an eco-score, which consumers can use to assess clothing stores on their ecological footprint. Such a clear score should put an end to the proliferation of quality marks. Companies that make false promises about how green their products are must also be punished. D66 wants higher fines for greenwashing. The government must also give ample opportunity for investments in clothing brands that reuse raw materials and materials properly and thus limit their climate and environmental damage.

D66 also wants to tighten the rules for microscopic pieces of plastic in clothing that often end up in the environment. Furthermore, stricter requirements must be imposed on the quality of clothing so that skirts, trousers, dresses, and sweaters have a longer lifespan. D66 also wants agreements made with other European countries about rules for the textile industry.