Sustainability Laws & Regulations

The Legal Shift Toward Regenerative Textiles

The textile industry is undergoing a legal transformation - and, honestly, it’s long overdue. 

From climate action to responsible production, new regulations are raising the bar for transparency, circularity, and traceability. At Hemptex®, we see these changes not as hurdles, but as alignment with the values we’ve upheld from the start.

Every Hemptex® flag is crafted to meet the growing demand for sustainable materials, ethical supply chains, and climate-forward design. We don’t just comply with these laws and regulations, we lead the change.

Your Impact, Our Impact

Hemptex® & the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Your every purchase supports a better system. One that heals land, empowers communities, and creates beauty without harm.

ESG Goal

Impact of Hemptex® Flags

SDG 12

Prevents plastic flag waste; promotes circular economy through deposit system

SDG 13

Hemp cultivation captures CO₂, replacing fossil-fuel-based polyester

SDG 14

Eliminates microplastic pollution from polyester degradation

SDG 15

Supports organic hemp farming, avoids toxic dyes & synthetic fibers

SDG 8

Provides fair wages & stable jobs for Indian hemp farmers, supporting ethical agriculture

[Learn About Our Supply Chain]

What Shapes Our Standards

EU Laws That Strengthen the Hemptex® Mission

1. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

What is it: A system that holds textile producers responsible for the full lifecycle of their products.

Requirements:

• Fund waste collection, reuse, and recycling programs
• Register with a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) such as Stichting UPV Textiel or European Recycling Platform Netherlands B.V.
• Provide free return options and educate customers on disposal
• Annual Reporting: Required by August 1st each year to Rijkswaterstaat (in Dutch), detailing product volumes and recycling compliance

Timeline:

• By 2025: 50% prepared for reuse/recycling, 25% fibre-to-fibre; 20% reused, with 10% within the Netherlands
• By 2030: 75% prepared, 33% fibre-to-fibre; 25% reused, 15% reused locally

Netherlands EPR Fees:

• €0.10/kg in 2024
• €0.00/kg from Jan–June 2025
• €0.24/kg from July 2025 onward

Hemptex® Alignment

2. Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)

What is it: The EU's flagship framework for building a circular economy.

Requirements:

1. Product Design: Addressing the "9Ps" of sustainability:

• Durability and reliability
• Reusability
• Upgradability, reparability, maintenance, and refurbishment
• Presence of substances of concern
• Energy and resource efficiency
• Recycled content
• Remanufacturing and recycling potential
• Carbon and environmental footprints
• Waste generation

2. Digital Product Passport (DPP): A digital record for textile products to improve traceability and transparency.
3. Waste Reduction for Unsold Products: Companies must disclose data on unsold textiles and disposal methods, with potential restrictions on destroying unsold goods.
4. Green Public Procurement (GPP): Sustainable criteria for government textile purchases.

Timeline: Delegated acts published by Jan 2026

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Hemptex® Alignment:

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3. Digital Product Passport (DPP)

What It Is: A digital record (via QR or NFC) attached to each product that tracks:

• Unique product ID (ISO/IEC 15459:2015 standard)
• Material origins & carbon footprint
• Manufacturing & logistics data
• Certifications, care, repair, and end-of-life instructions

Benefits:

• Improves traceability, interoperability, and consumer transparency
• Encourages blockchain-enabled supply chain platforms as best practice

Timeline: Coming into effect July 2027

Hemptex® Alignment: Already building infrastructure for DPP integration by July 2027, requiring digital tracking and reporting of product data.

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4. Textile Labelling Regulation (TLR) - Revision Coming

What is it: The revision of the TLR aims to standardize textile labelling across the EU, reducing complexity for businesses and improving consumer information.

Expected Updates by 2028/2029:

• Harmonized labelling across all EU countries
• Both digital and physical formats
• Potential new labelling categories:
  
  • "Made in" origin details
  • EU-wide size standardization
  • Care labelling
  • Allergenic substance disclosures
  • Leather and fur authenticity
  • Flammability ratings
  • Organic/bio-origin verification
  • Socially responsible production indications

Timeline:

Hemptex® Alignment: We’ve always believed in informed choices. Our labels already include (information), and are being adapted to fully meet TLR revisions by 2028/2029.

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What This Means for Hemptex®

Our mission was born in response to the very gaps these regulations now aim to close. Here’s what it means for us in practice:

Financial Responsibility:
We’ve already accounted for rising EPR fees in our pricing models, and we’re proud to contribute to systems that ensure end-of-life care for textile products.

Product Evolution:
From day one, our flags have been designed for durability, traceability, and eventual biodegradability. We’ve opted for a 60% hemp / 40% organic cotton blend to balance performance and affordability, and now we’re transitioning to 100% hemp to align even further with the ESPR framework.

Digital Readiness:
We are preparing for full Digital Product Passport integration (to be implemented by July 2027). Our supply chain is already traceable, and now we’re digitizing it for full transparency from field to flag.

Sustainable Disposal & Reuse:
From 2025 onward, we’re ensuring that textile waste is properly collected, reported, and responsibly managed. We’re also developing smarter strategies to minimize unsold inventory and support fibre-to-fibre recycling — always aiming for circularity, not landfill.

Communication & Labelling:
We’re refining our labelling system to meet the coming TLR changes, ensuring that customers understand exactly what they’re raising when they choose a Hemptex® flag.

Naturally Ahead of the Curve

We’ve been walking this path from the beginning. These laws simply bring others along. 

While others are racing to catch up, we’ve been building Hemptex® with these laws in mind from day one. Sustainability for us isn’t a marketing claim. It’s a design principle, a sourcing strategy, and a promise to our partners.

This is how we raise the flag of the future.

[Learn About Our Supply Chain] / [Discover Our Products]

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