Glossary

---

Advocacy: The act of publicly supporting or recommending a particular cause or policy. In this context, it refers to the engagement of fashion businesses with policymakers to ensure their voices are heard in shaping new regulations.

Bioeconomy: An economy based on the use of renewable biological resources from land and sea. This includes using these resources to create textiles, packaging, and other products, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. In the fashion industry, this involves designing products that can be repaired, reused, and recycled, keeping materials in use for as long as possible.

Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD): An EU directive that requires companies to incorporate human rights and environmental considerations into their operations and supply chains. It aims to ensure companies are responsible for the ethical impact of their businesses.

Digital Product Passport (DPP): A digital tool that provides detailed data about a product's environmental and sustainability credentials, offering consumers greater transparency and traceability.

Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR): A regulation that establishes new standards for product design, ensuring they are durable, repairable, and recyclable. This regulation aims to reduce the environmental footprint of products in the EU market.

EU Green Deal: The European Commission’s growth strategy aimed at making the EU climate-neutral by 2050. It encompasses various policies and initiatives to reduce emissions and promote environmental protection.

EU Textile Labelling Regulation (TLR): A regulation that sets requirements for the labeling of textile products sold in the EU. In 2025, revisions aim to provide clearer and more consistent information to consumers.

Fast Fashion: A term used to describe the practice of quickly producing fashionable garments at low prices. It is often associated with environmental damage and unethical labour practices.

Green Claims Directive (GCD): An EU directive introduced to combat greenwashing by setting stricter standards for environmental claims made by companies. This directive ensures claims are substantiated with transparent evidence and verifiable data.

Greenwashing: The practice of conveying a false or misleading impression that a company or its products are environmentally friendly. The GCD is a reaction to this deceptive practice.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A method used to evaluate the environmental impact of a product or service across its entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. Used to provide evidence to back up claims made about sustainability.

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances): A group of synthetic chemicals often used in water-resistant clothing. They are known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and potential harm to human health.

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals): An EU regulation that controls the use of chemicals to protect human health and the environment. In 2025, REACH will see increased restrictions on the use of certain harmful chemicals like PFAS.

Waste Framework Directive (WFD): An EU directive that establishes rules for waste management, emphasizing prevention and recycling. Amendments in 2025 will place stronger focus on high-impact sectors like textiles, aiming to reduce waste at every stage of the product lifecycle.

Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In the context of fashion, it involves minimising environmental impact and ensuring ethical practices.

Innovation: The introduction of new ideas, methods, or products. In sustainability, innovation refers to new and improved practices that benefit the environment.

Long-Term Commitment: A sustained dedication to a goal over an extended period, requiring consistency and a willingness to adapt.

Short-Term Gains: Benefits or advantages that are achieved quickly but may not be sustainable or beneficial in the long run.

Greenwashing: The practice of misleading consumers into believing a product or practice is more environmentally friendly than it actually is, often for PR purposes.

Tokenistic: A superficial gesture or action that is intended to appear meaningful, but lacks genuine commitment or substance.

Circular Fashion: A system of fashion production and consumption aimed at keeping products in use for as long as possible, minimising waste and pollution.

Supply Chains: The network of processes and organisations involved in the production and distribution of goods, from raw materials to finished products.

Carbon Emissions: The release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contribute to climate change.

R&D (Research and Development): The systematic investigation and creation of new knowledge and products.

European Commission: The governing body of the EU, responsible for setting policy and legislation, and implementing the EU Green Deal. They are responsible for initiating and enforcing the policies mentioned in the timeline.

Ohana Public Affairs: An organisation mentioned as being involved in advocacy and working to keep conversations about the Green Deal on track while balancing competition with environmental goals.

Fashion Industry Businesses (Small Design Studios to Multinational Brands): The primary actors affected by the EU legislation changes. These include designers, suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and marketing teams. They are responsible for adapting their practices to comply with new regulations, which may require significant changes in sourcing, production, and product design.

Recycling Companies, Municipal Waste Authorities, and Environmental NGOs: Key players affected by the Waste Framework Directive amendments who will need to manage textile waste effectively and establish recycling infrastructure.

Chemical Manufacturers, Fabric Mills, and Finishing Facilities: These players will need to comply with REACH and revise to use less harmful alternatives to chemicals like PFAS.

Supply Chain Stakeholders: These include suppliers, logistics partners and post-consumer recycling facilities who will need to work together and provide the necessary data for the Digital Product Passports.

Accredited Certifiers: Third-party organisations who are expected to be engaged to bolster the credibility of brands complying with environmental claims as part of the Green Claims Directive.