让贸易为循环服务：通过贸易监管提高二手服装的循环性（英）2026

Improving circularity in second-handclothing through trade regulation @2026 United Nations This work is available open access by complying with the Creative Commons licensecreated for inter-governmental organizations, available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/ Publishers must delete the UN emblem from their edition and create a new cover design. Publishers should email the file of their edition to: publications@un.org Photocopies and reproductions of excerpts are allowed with proper credits.Mention ofspecific names and commercial products and services does not imply the endorsement ofthe United Nations. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication are theresponsibility of the authors and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoeveron the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning any form of endorsementincluding that of the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, orconcerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this document, which has been reproduced without formal editing,are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisations or thecountries they represent. The use of the publication for any commercial purposes, including resale, is prohibited. Photo credits: cover page and report layout – Pietro Bruni, www.toshi.ltd This publication is issued in English only. United Nations publication issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europeand the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. This publication should be cited as: Economic Commission for Europe and EconomicCommission for Latin America and the Caribbean. (2026).Making trade work for circularity: improving circularity in second-hand clothing throughtrade regulation(LC/TS.2026/6 and ECE/TRADE/494) Foreword The global trade in second-hand clothing presents both opportunities and challenges for exportingand importing countries. On the one hand, it can create jobs, improve affordability and extend the lifeof garments that might otherwise be discarded. On the other hand, it exposes stark imbalances in theglobal textile economy, where the surplus of low-quality fast fashion in consumer markets often becomesan environmental burden for producer countries, with textile waste disproportionately flowing to regionsless equipped to manage it. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Economic Commission forLatin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), with financial support from the European Union, preparedthis joint study to better understand and leverage the opportunities resulting from these trends. It ex-plores how international trade flows can be better aligned with circular economy principles, ensuringthat used textiles retain value rather than becoming global waste, and highlights a critical, yet oftenoverlooked, policy instrument: technical regulations. When well designed and effectively applied, suchregulations can help governments to limit the inflow of low-value textile waste, incentivize higher-qualitysorting practices in exporting countries and support broader domestic goals related to environmentalprotection, public health, competitiveness and sustainable industrial development. This joint study outlines not only the legal and procedural requirements of technical regulations inaccordance with World Trade Organization rules, but also the broader enabling conditions, such astraceability standards, extended producer responsibility, harmonized trade classifications and digitallabelling systems. It builds on the normative instruments developed by the United Nations Centre for TradeFacilitation and Electronic Business, including Recommendations Nos. 46 and 49, which offer guidancefor garment supply chain traceability and interoperable sustainability data exchange and governance. This joint study further provides an evidence-based framework to support both governments andthe industry, and offers a timely and relevant contribution to support Member States in navigating thecomplex challenges associated with trade in used clothing. With new regional and national policies andinitiatives driving momentum towards the circular transition, governments are increasingly well positionedto take meaningful action on circular textiles. Achieving success, however, requires coordinated effortsto ensure that trade remains fair, inclusive and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Stron-ger international cooperation, coupled with technology transfer and financial support, will be essential,particularly for developing countries that continue to face significant capacity and infrastructure gaps. Trade can, and must, be a driver of the circular transition. This study provides practical insights intomaking this vision a reality, showing well-regulated trade not as a barrier, but rather as a catalyst for ag