The Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the official ecolabel of the Nordic countries, has announced new requirements for clothes and other textile products.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official ecolabel of all Nordic countries: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, and it aims to reduce the environmental impact of production and consumption while also making it simple for consumers and professional buyers to select the most environmentally friendly goods and services. On average, every Nordic inhabitant buys 13–16 kilograms of new textiles a year, says Nordic Swan.

Increased attention to quality and longevity, as well as a ban on dumping surplus apparel, are among the new Ecolabel standards for product design.

Cathrine Pia Lund, CEO of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel in Norway, said that because the textile sector is in desperate need of transformation, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is currently launching even more ambitious standards for textile manufacturers. Textiles must be produced in a more sustainable and circular manner, according to both European and Norwegian authorities. Now is the time for the industry to step up to the plate and use current tools to make the transition simpler.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel now has strong environmental regulations in place for all relevant phases of a product's life cycle, including chemical requirements for ecolabelled items.

In addition to the Ecolabel, other things were also announced.

Microplastics requirements. Microplastic spread from synthetic fabrics must be measured by manufacturers. Nordic Swan wants the results to be published to the Microfibre Consortium with the purpose of defining a limited value over time.

Organic, recycled, or bio-based textile fibers are required. Nordic Swan Ecolabelled clothes must be made entirely of organic or recycled cotton. Workwear has its own set of needs. Synthetic fibers must be created from sustainable source materials or recycled.

There will be no burning or dumping of unsold clothing. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel's revised standards prohibit the burning or dumping of unsold clothing, and producers must now report what they do with surplus items to the ecolabel.

ILO conventions must be followed in the workplace. Production locations producing Nordic Swan Ecolabel textiles must adhere to ILO (International Labour Organization) rules, which include prohibitions on forced labor, child labor, and discrimination, as well as the facilitation of fair salaries and working hours. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel also conducts inspection inspections to all manufacturing facilities, regardless of their location.

Anne-Grethe Henriksen, marketing and communications manager at the Nordic Swan Ecolabel in Norway, said that more and more individuals want to make decisions that have a lower environmental effect, and the greatest option is to limit consumption. However, once you've decided to buy anything, it's critical to make the right decision. They’re currently increasing the standards for product design and production process in order to boost quality and allow a circular economy for the textile sector.