France has implemented a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation covering textiles, footwear, cosmetics, and ski waxes—raising the bar for product stewardship in the EU. The regulation requires producers to finance and manage the end-of-life impacts of products placed on the French market, with an emphasis on waste reduction, recyclability, and transparency. The law took effect on January 1, 2026, making compliance an immediate priority for brands, importers, and online sellers operating in France.
More information here:
Denmark has introduced a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation for clothing and footwear, creating country-specific compliance requirements separate from EU-wide rules. Beginning July 1, 2026, producers placing products on the Danish market will be financially and operationally responsible for their end-of-life management. Companies should begin preparing now to understand registration, reporting, and fee obligations to ensure compliance and avoid penalties.
More information here:
California’s green claims laws combat “greenwashing” by prohibiting misleading environmental marketing, notably through SB 343 (restricting the chasing arrows symbol and recyclability claims to genuinely recyclable items) and AB 1305 (requiring disclosures for certain carbon offset and climate-related claims), supported by broader consumer protection laws like the UCL, CLRA, and BPC § 17580.5, holding companies accountable for unsubstantiated claims about being “eco-friendly,” “biodegradable,” or “net zero”.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) is a U.S. federal law that targets forced labor and human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. It was signed into law in December 2021 and is designed to prevent products made with forced labor from entering the United States.
The EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) is part of the European Union’s strategy to make products more sustainable, traceable, and circular under the EU’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. It’s essentially a digital “identity card” for products that tracks key information about them throughout their lifecycle.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a proposed set of rules from the European Union aimed at making packaging more sustainable, circular, and environmentally friendly. It’s part of the EU’s broader Circular Economy Action Plan under the European Green Deal.
The California Retailers Association, the American Apparel and Footwear Association, and the National Retail Federation launched the Textile Renewal Alliance to implement an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program under California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 (SB 707).
Visit the TRA website here: https://textilerenewalalliance.org/
Here are the details on Washington State’s revised PFAS regulation, which includes reporting beginning on January 1, 2026.:
The US announced the framework of a trade agreement with Switzerland and Liechtenstein:
Here are details on Maine’s PFAS regulations: