Skip navigation

National Action Plan for Textiles

The Danish National Action Plan for Textiles gathers the industry around circular innovation, responsible consumption, and sustainable value creation.

Purpose

The National Action Plan for Textiles

The Dansih National Action Plan for Textiles seeks to stimulate progress concerning the circular transition of the fashion and textile industriessector. The action plan is founded on the vision that Denmark by 2030 is recognised across Europe as a front runner for circular textile systems.  

The entire value chain – from design and production to consumption, product life span extension, collection, and reuse – will be integrated in a coherent structure, which reduces resource consumption, minimises environmental impact, and creates value from materials and resources that would otherwise be wasted. 

The action plan is organised asin three tracks, which combined will accelerate the transition: 1) Circular transition of the industry, 2) Circular infrastructure, and 3) Textile comprehension and upskilling 

THE ACTION PLAN IN BRIEF
  • Denmark is a front runner for circular textile systems
  • The entire value chain follows the foundational principles of the waste hierarchy, in which prevention, life span extension, and reuse are prioritised before recycling and waste management.
  • The action plan contains three tracks: transition, infrastructure, and upskilling
Outcome

A common compass to future-proof the textile industry through circular innovation 

The action plan assembles the entire Danish textile industry for an ambitious, coordinated effort: from businesses and authorities to knowledge institutions and civil society. The collective ambition is to create a common compass that steers towards a future-proof textiles sector based on circular innovation, responsible consumption, and sustainable value creation. 

Vision

Denmark as a circularity beacon 

The action plan is founded on the vision that Denmark by 2030 is recognised across Europe as a front runner for circular textile systems. 

The entire value chain – from design and production to consumption, product life span extension, collection, and reuse – will be integrated in a coherent structure, which reduces resource consumption, minimises environmental impact, and creates value from materials and resources that would otherwise be wasted. 

This vision follows the foundational principles of the waste hierarchy, in which prevention, life span extension, and reuse are prioritised before recycling and waste management. 

The vision is based on the acknowledgement that our current production and consumption of textiles is both incompatible with long-term climate and resource concerns and with a society that respects and operates within the planetary boundaries. 

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has allocated 40m DKK from the 2025 Financial Act to the National Action Plan for Textiles over a four-year period (2025-2028). 

THE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR TEXTILES 

The industry cluster Lifestyle and Design Cluster (LDC) is responsible for the secretariat function in close partnership with the industry association Danish Fashion & Textile (DM&T) and the innovation mission for circular economy, TRACE. 

Lifestyle and Design Cluster is already responsible for ‘The voluntary sector collaboration on textiles’, which is a joint effort between the Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality, Danish businesses, and Danish organisations. 

Betina Simonsen , CEO
Lifestyle and Design Cluster

“Our collective ambition is to create a common compass that steers towards a future-proof textiles sector based on circular innovation, responsible consumption, and sustainable value creation.”

Three tracks – one combined effort

The action plan is organised in three tracks, which combined will accelerate the transition: 

  • Circular transition of the industry: support businesses to comply with the increasing legislative demands of the EU and develop new business models

  • Circular infrastructure: creation of national systems across public and private sectors to improve recycling and re-use and reduce the use of resources

  • Textile comprehension and upskilling: improvement of populational textile knowledge, repair, and recycling through education, networks, and national campaigns. 
Anette Juhl , Director
TRACE

“Our industry has an enormous potential for value creation by means of common guidelines and collaboration across research, public bodies, NGOs, and private enterprises.”

Background 

The textile industry has traditionally operated within linear business models with accordingly significant externality costs. The European Environment Agency estimates that the textile industry causes the fifth highest pressure on the environment and climate, only surpassed by the food, housing, transport, and hospitality industries. Global production of textiles has doubled between 2000 and 2015, and continual growth is expected towards 2030.  

In 2022, the EU’s Textiles Strategy set a new direction for the textile industry to transition to a circular model. This is supported by EU legislation which will be implemented across the member states in the coming years, but national efforts are required to encourage the transition and prepare businesses for the upcoming EU requirements.  

As part of the Danish 2025 Finance Act, the government and the supporting parties agreed to develop a National Action Plan for Textiles to help align the textile industry’s circular transition with the EU Textiles Strategy. 

The National Action Plan for Textiles covers the entire Danish textiles ecosystem and is therefore a standing invitation for all stakeholders to contribute insights and knowledge that will strengthen the direction and quality of the action plan and its initiatives. The initiatives will primarily be sent to tender. Information about tenders will be published on the website and through the consortium partners’ newsletters. 

The Consortium

The action plan is governed by a consortium consisting of Danish Fashion & Textile, Lifestyle and Design Cluster, and TRACE who will collectively undertake the secretariat function and the continuous coordination of the efforts. The consortium of partners brings together complimentary competencies around industry expertise, innovation, research, and value chain collaboration. The organisation of responsibilities is described in the following. 

LIFESTYLE AND DESIGN CLUSTER   
Appointed as an industry and innovation cluster, acting as a bridge between knowledge institutions and industry to strengthen innovation and capacity across the sector. 

  • Assumes overall project and finance responsibility and functions as the administrative office for the action plan
  • Ensures progression, financial management, documentation, and consolidated reporting to The Danish Environmental Protection Agency
  • Handles coordination, meeting notices, preparation of agendas, evidence for decision-making, and minutes
  • Manages and monitors the action plan’s project activities and deliverables
  • Manages and drives selected initiatives by appointment
  • Assumes overall responsibility for communications
  • Contributes strategic perspectives and supports implementation 

DANISH FASHION & TEXTILE 

Denmark’s largest business association for Danish fashion and textile companies, whose knowledge and experience are founded on a thorough comprehension of the industry. Covers policy development of industry frameworks both nationally and internationally.

  • Assumes responsibility for political interests as well as industry anchoring
  • Contributes industry insights and communicates to member organisations
  • Manages and drives selected initiatives by appointment
  • Contributes strategic perspectives and supports implementation 

     

TRACE

Government-appointed innomission for circular economy within plastics and textiles. Initiates collaborations across the value chain and ensures the transition takes place in accordance with the latest research. 

  • Assumes responsibility for the development and implementation of the action plan’s impact framework, including impact documentation, and its foundation in academic research
  • Supports evaluations, learnings, and data collection across initiatives
  • Manages and drives selected initiatives by appointment
  • Contributes strategic perspectives and supports implementation 

 
Steering committee 

Consists of leading stakeholders across the value chain, including industry organisations, government bodies, knowledge institutions, civil society organisations, waste and re-use actors, and various companies.

The purpose of the steering committee is to ensure the initiatives of the action plan are completed according to:

  • The objectives of the application material and the agreement
  • The requirements of administrative law (equal treatment, impartiality, transparency, and fair hearing)
  • The financial and formal stipulations relating to documentation, reporting, and results 

The steering committee will support the circular transition of the Danish fashion and textile industries and will contribute to the realisation of the action plan’s three tracks. 

Steering committee members: 

  1. Annette Braunstein, Deputy Director, DAKOFA
  2. Mette Hoffgaard Ranfelt, Chief Advisor for Environmental Policy, The Danish Society for Nature Conservation
  3. Marie Josephine Mustelin, Director for the Green Transition in the Textile Sector, Danish Chamber of Commerce
  4. Iben Sohn, Director of Circular Economy, Danish Industries
  5. Jens Obel, Co-owner & Director, DK Company
  6. Marie Busck, Chief Sustainability Officer, Danish Fashion & Textile (chair)
  7. Christina Saxkjær, Head of Sustainability, Elis
  8. Lene Nedergaard, CMO, F.Engel
  9. Winni Grosbøll, Director, The Danish Consumer Council
  10. Mette Bendix, Partner & Director, Kvadrat
  11. Betina Simonsen, CEO, Lifestyle and Design Cluster
  12. Signe Tholstrup, CEO, MINI A TURE
  13. Kristine Holm-Jensen, Director, Museum Midtjylland
  14. Cecilie Schwartz Førby, Head of Procurement and Contract Management, Odense Municipality
  15. Anette Juhl, Director, TRACE (vice-chair) 

 

Advisory board 

An interdisciplinary advisory board functions as a sounding board across the action plan’s efforts. 

The advisory board has two main tasks: 1. quality assurance of tenders and subsidy schemes, and 2. collaborating with the secretariat to ensure synergies across the action plan’s initiatives and other relevant initiatives 

Advisory board members: 

  1. Claus Teilmann Petersen, Stakeholder Engagement & Human Rights Manager, BESTSELLER  
  2. Louise Brix, Regulatory Director, Circular Denmark 
  3. Cecilie Thorsmark, Director, Copenhagen Fashion Week 
  4. Thomas Østergaard-Geisler, CEO, Create2STAY 
  5. Nina Nagskov Jørgensen, Political Senior Advisor for Environmental Policy & Circular Economy, Danish Industries 
  6. Ann Højer Hoffmann, Senior Advisor & Program Leader for Green Hospitals, Regional Development, EU og Climate, Danish Regions  
  7. Kristian Rise, Deputy Director, Designmuseum Danmark 
  8. Lars Riis, Director, ELSK 
  9. Nanna Callisen Bang, CEO, Ethical Trade Denmark 
  10. Vibeke Myrtue Jensen, Senior Advisor, The Danish Consumer Council 
  11. Henrik Hylleberg Luxhøj, CEO, Forenede Service Danmark 
  12. Sine Beuse Fauerby, Head of Circular Economy, Gate21 
  13. Anita Jørgensen, Chair, Håndarbejdets Fremme 
  14. Laurits Vestergaard, Quality Operation Manager, JYSK 
  15. Anne Ley, Chief Advisor, KL Local Government Denmark 
  16. Susanne Lindeneg, Special Advisor, Team Lead in the unit for re-use and waste legislation, Municipality of Copenhagen 
  17. Mathilde de Kruiff, Programme Director, University College Copenhagen (KP) 
  18. Rikke Ramm Eberlein, Team Lead CSR, Corporate Affairs, Lidl 
  19. Ulla Mannering, Professor, The National Museum of Denmark 
  20. Rikke Bech, CEO/Co-founder, NewRetex 
  21. Tina Donnerborg, Head of Re-use, Danish Red Cross 
  22. Kristina Vigen, Chief Sustainability Officer, Sports Group Denmark 
  23. Jannik Frank Petersen, Union Chair, The Danish Association of Professional Technicians 
  24. Julie Brender Trads, PhD Senior Project Lead, Danish Technological Institute 
  25. Poul-Erik Jørgensen, Research, Development & Innovation Manager, VIA University College 

Previous activities 

29/8-2025: Application for secretariat function sent to The Danish Environmental Protection Agency 

30/9-2025: Commitment is announced by The Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality and The Danish Environmental Protection Agency 

6/10-2025: Kick-off meeting with The Danish Environmental Protection Agency 

3/12-2025: Inaugural steering committee meeting

21/1-2026: Steering committee meeting 

4/2-2026: Steering committee meeting 

24/2-2026: Advisory board meeting 

24/2-2026: Open meeting for interested parties (see video recording) 

21/4-2026: Advisory board meeting 

29/4-2026: Panel discussions at LOOP Forum

5/5-2026: Steering committee meeting

Upcoming activities 

  • Launch of the action plan was expected by the end of April ‘26 but has been delayed due to the general election. The launch will take place once a new government has assembled, and the new Minister for Environment and Gender Equality has been able to consider the matter. 

 

The action plan is organised in three tracks, which combined will accelerate the transition: 

  • Circular transition 
  • Circular infrastructure 
  • Textile comprehension and upskilling 

The tracks are mutually dependent; the companies’ circular solutions require operational infrastructure, and both aspects assume that competencies, knowledge, and behaviours develop concurrently. 

Within each of the three tracks, targeted initiatives will be completed and contribute collectively to a reduction in textile production and consumption and a reduction in the overall environmental and climate impact of the textiles sector. This constitutes the fulcrum of the action plan’s efforts from 2025 to 2028. The initiatives have been selected to collectively support the four solution foci identified by The Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the six priorities resulting from the 2025 Finance Act. Refer to the application materials from The Danish Environmental Protection Agency for more information about the clearly defined political framework which the action plan must take into account to produce deliver coherent and effective initiatives. 

All goals and milestones of the action plan are founded on the TRACE Impact Framework, which constitutes the common foundation of the direction, measurement, and learnings across the action plan’s initiatives. The framework is used to create clear coherence between the vision, the specific initiatives, and the long-term structural changes necessary for the transition of the textiles sector. This makes it possible to work systematically with the output, outcome, and long-term impact and to monitor whether the effort is moving in the desired direction. 

Marie Busck , Chief Sustainability Officer
DANISH FASHION & TEXTILE (DM&T)

“Since DM&T launched the policy proposal for a national action plan for textiles, this is what we have been working towards. We were very pleased to have the action plan included in the Finance Act, and it’s fantastic that we are now part of such a strong partnership – one that can jointly develop the action plan and launch activities that will create holistic progress for both society and industry in the textile sector.”

Sharing

Contact

Funding and Knowledge Partners

Related content

Cross Sectoral Collaboration

We engage a bigger portion of the Danish fashion and textile industry in pursuing common circularity goals by 2030.