Post by Walid Khan

Game over for destruction! Game on for recovery!! Today, 19 July 2026, the EU ban on destroying unsold textiles, footwear and clothing accessories takes effect for large enterprises. For decades, destruction was the quiet default. A jacket with a loose seam. A shoe with a glue mark. A pair separated from its box. Into the bin, off the books, nobody asked. In Germany alone, close to 20 million returned items are thrown away every year. That route is now closed. The question I keep hearing is not "do we have to comply." It is "what do we do with these items on Monday morning." That is our work at Re4vive GmbH. We collect minor-defective, returned and damaged textiles, footwear and accessories, refurbish them, and return them to sellable condition in 7 to 14 days. More than 80% come back sellable, over 90% in our pilots. Whatever cannot be restored goes to a certified circular outcome. If you handle returns, logistics or sustainability at a retailer or e-commerce platform, message me and I will walk you through what a pilot looks like. #ESPR #CircularEconomy #Retail #ReverseLogistics #EuropeanCommission