UNEP Supports Release of New Ecolabel Standard to Drive Sustainability in China’s Textile Sector

As part of this effort, UNEP is supporting the implementation of the EcoAdvance project, which aims to foster the joint use of ecolabels and sustainable public procurement (SPP). EcoAdvance is a joint initiative led by UNEP, GIZ, and Öko-Institut, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

The textile sector has been identified as a critical area for transformation. Global production and consumption of textiles continue to rise, while reuse and recycling rates remain extremely low resulting in an unprecedented increase in textile waste. Meanwhile, the use of hazardous chemicals in textiles is contributing to severe air, water, and soil pollution. Building a more sustainable and circular textile value chain has thus become an urgent priority.

UNEP is playing a global leadership role by convening partners and developing knowledge-based tools and policy solutions to drive this transformation. As the world’s largest textile producer, China plays a key role in this transition. UNEP has established a close partnership with the China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC), working together under the initiative “Sustainability in the Textile Value Chain: Promoting Ecolabel and Sustainable Public Procurement in China” to support sustainable transformation across China’s textile supply chain.

On 19 June 2025, the consultation titled “Ecolabelling for Green Transition: A New Pathway for Sustainable Development in the Textile Sector” was successfully held in Qingdao. The event was hosted by the Qingdao Product Quality Testing Research Institute (QTC), and co-organized by CEC, the Nanjing Customs Textile and Industrial Products Testing Center (JTC), and the Wuxi Textile and Apparel Council. Over 70 representatives from textile enterprises, research institutes, industry associations, and certification bodies attended the event. UNEP participated actively as a supporting partner.

During the opening session, Jorge Laguna-Celis, Head of the One Planet Network Secretariat at UNEP, delivered a keynote address via video, in which he commended CEC’s leadership in advancing the development of ambitious ecolabelling standards for the textile sector. He emphasized that such standards could serve as a catalyst for market transformation by enhancing the sustainability and circularity of entire value chains. This progress marks an important step forward in achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement, the biodiversity targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and accelerating the transition to a circular economy. He reiterated UNEP’s continued commitment to supporting implementation of the project and promoting the uptake and revision of these standards by both private sector actors and public procures.

Sijia Liu, Programme Associate at the UNEP China Office, also participated on behalf of UNEP. She presented the latest global research findings on sustainability in the textile value chain and shared good international practices on ecolabelling and sustainable public procurement.

As a key milestone and deliverable of the Consumer Information Programme and the EcoAdvance project in collaboration with the Qingdao Product Quality Testing Research Institute (QTC), the Nanjing Customs Textile and Industrial Products Testing Center (JTC), and the Wuxi Textile and Apparel Council, officially launched the updated Technical Specification for Eco-product Certification – Textile Product during the event. The standard adopts a lifecycle-based approach, encompassing the entire textile value chain—from cotton cultivation to finished garments. It establishes high-level requirements across critical sustainability areas, including raw material traceability, low-carbon production and pollution control, and corporate social responsibility and labor protection. In support of its implementation, several textile enterprises signed letters of intent to participate in testing and certification, reflecting strong industry momentum for the broader application of ecolabels and the green transformation of the textile sector.

This new standard not only raises the environmental performance threshold for China’s textile industry but also provides a robust tool to advance green public procurement. By guiding buyers to prioritize low-carbon, environmentally responsible products and encouraging suppliers to improve their performance, the standard contributes to aligning market behavior with both national and global sustainability goals.

UNEP remains committed to working closely with CEC and stakeholders at all levels in China to scale up the application of ecolabelling in climate action, market transformation, and green procurement—contributing to the development of a more sustainable and resilient global textile industry.