[Lunch debate] Stitch in Time: is Europe finally getting serious about textile waste?

Luxembourg threw away 8,129 tonnes of clothing in 2024 — that's 12 kg per person. More than half is shipped abroad. Ghana receives 182 tonnes of second-hand clothes every day, the majority ending up in landfills. These numbers tell the story of a broken global textile system in which Western (over)consumption patterns, sustain poverty cycles elsewhere. In other words, those who suffer the consequences of our throwaway fashion habits are rarely the ones responsible for them.

Europe is now taking steps to change this. New rules are being introduced to the EU Waste Framework Directive, making it mandatory for producers and retailers to take responsibility for what happens to their products at end of life. This will affect businesses, NGOs, governments, and consumers across the EU — including here in Luxembourg. This event is going to address the implications of the directive and the application in Luxembourg.

Join us for lunch and find out. We're bringing together Yayra Agbofah from The Revival (Ghana), who transforms discarded clothes into statement pieces to raise awareness of the human cost of textile waste; Clara Cherblanc from the Fédération de la Mode Circulaire (France), who will share good practices and what the new rules mean for the sector; and Claire Ahlborn from Luxembourg's Ministry of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, who will bring clarity on what to expect in Luxembourg.

Iwwersetzung vun Englesch op Lëtzebuergesch disponibel

EVENT DETAILS

📅 22 April 2026

📍 Cercle Cité Auditorium - 2, rue Génistre Accès Cité Bibliothèque

🕖 12h - 14h

• 12h - welcome

• 12h15 - conference

• 13h15 - networking lunch

• 14h - end of event

SPEAKERS

Yayra Agbofah – The Revival

Yayra is the founder of The Revival, an NGO and a community-driven sustainable fashion initiative based in Ghana, focused on tackling textile waste through upcycling, education, and job creation. Through their work, they help create a resilient, sustainable fashion ecosystem while addressing the global impact of textile waste. They redefine waste, turning what seems worthless into something beautiful and with purpose.

Clara Cherblanc – Fédération de la Mode Circulaire / Circular Fashion Federation

Clara is the head of advocacy and public affairs at the Circular Fashion Federation. The Circular Fashion Federation is a professional organization that brings together more than 250 members from across the circular fashion ecosystem. Its mission is to promote circularity in the fashion industry and to support the transition of its players towards a more sustainable model.

Claire Ahlborn – Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity

Claire is a resource project officer at the MECB. She coordinates the national transposition of the waste management directive, which includes textile.

Carole Henry - Terra Matters GIE (moderator)

Carole is a Business Development Manager at Terra Matters GIE. Carole works for a GIE under the Luxembourg's Ministry of the Economy, to launch and drive adoption of the Product Circularity Data Sheet (PCDS), to standardize data and facilitate the transition to a sustainable economy.

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