Latvian government is pushing new rules of the extended responsibility scheme. According to the rules, used clothes will also be the object of the Natural resource tax from the July 1 2024 and all retailers of used clothes in Latvia will have to pay 50 euro cents per kilogram of imported good quality second-hand clothes. While it does not seem to be a lot from the first glance, in reality we simply would not be able to operate.
It’s regrettable that after so many years of our joint efforts to promote sustainable lifestyle and fashion in Latvia, to save natural resources and the environment we all find ourselves in this position.
We urge Latvian authorities and political leadership to reconsider their plans and allow us to ensure the development of a circular economy business model in Latvia, affordable good quality textile products for our clients and be a part of the European Green Deal in Latvia.