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Comment: Microplastics meet margins

Mid-December brought a clear signal: microplastics policy is tightening at the source and edging into textiles. New EU rules aimed at preventing plastic pellet losses have entered into force, pushing upstream controls and documentation into day-to-day operations. In parallel, the European Commission is expected to consult stakeholders on a textiles measure under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products framework, putting fibre shedding and durability closer to enforceable requirements. A supplier update this month paired ‘microfibre testing’ alongside lead-time and claims substantiation, resulting in an unusually operational framing.

That regulatory acceleration lands in a cooling trade cycle. The WTO’s latest outlook projects world merchandise trade volume growth slowing to *.* per cent in ****, a reminder that friction costs matter more when volumes soften. Compliance delays and inconsistent product files are already showing up as avoidable time loss at handover points.