The textile sector is a significant contributor to environmental pollution and human health risks, driven by high chemical usage, overproduction and inefficient waste management systems. UNEP's global stocktaking has shown that less than 1% of textiles are recycled into new clothing, while clothing production has doubled in the last 15 years. The sector is responsible for around 8% of global GHG emissions and consumes over 215 trillion liters of water per year. Chemicals used in textile processing, estimated at over 15,000 types, include many persistent and hazardous substances, highlighting the need for stronger governance, traceability and sustainable alternatives.
The Conference of the Parties initially considered the matter of used textiles and textile waste at its seventeenth meeting in April/May 2025. It agreed to include the matter in the work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for 2026-2027, requesting consideration of relevant options available under the Convention to address challenges linked to the transboundary movement of textile wastes (including the distinction between used textiles and textile wastes), and for a proposal to be developed on possible options, within the scope of the Convention, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth meeting.
By its decision BC-17/21 on work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for the period 2026-2027, the Conference of the Parties invited Parties and observers to submit, by 15 November 2025, comments, including relevant data where applicable, regarding experiences, challenges and costs related to trade in used textiles and textile wastes, as well as views on how transboundary movements of textile wastes and their management could be addressed under the Basel Convention. The comments received in response to this invitation are available here.