AbTF to challenge PEF rules
Press release provided by Aid by Trade Foundation
Hamburg, Germany – 5 November, 2024 – The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) has joined Make the Label Count, an alliance of natural fibre manufacturers, standards, and environmental organisation.
AbTF says it has joined the alliance to make sustainability claims in the EU fair, transparent and, and credible. Make the Label Count and AbTF are calling for a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) reform to ensure fair assessments of sustainable materials – without giving synthetic fibres like polyester, which creates plastic waste and spread microplastics, an unfair edge.
The organisations say the EU’s current PEF, which is used to compare the environmental impact of products in misleading consumers.
“As it stands, the regulations favour textile fibres made from fossil fuels such as oil while placing natural fibres – such as cotton verified under Cotton made in Africa or cashmere fibres verified under The Good Cashmere Standard – at a disadvantage, despite the natural fibres being biodegradable, recyclable and produced in an environmentally friendly way,” explains Tina Stridde, Managing Director of AbTF.
Sustainability labels based on a transparent and verifiable system are the key to responsible consumption – and a greener future for all.
