From 12 August 2026, the first obligations of a new European law take effect: the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, better known as the PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40). The law entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies to every business in every EU member state. Its goal is to reduce packaging waste and to build a circular economy in Europe.

Let us be clear about one thing first: we support that goal with all our heart. Less packaging waste is literally what ONETURTLE stands for.

What the new rules say

From 12 August 2026, packaging may only be placed on the EU market with a valid EU Declaration of Conformity. That declaration comes with a technical file proving the packaging meets the requirements, and every packaging type must carry a traceable number. More obligations follow step by step: new labelling rules are expected from 2028, and requirements on recyclability, recycled content and reuse follow from 2030.

Why this is hard for small brands

Here is the part most people do not see. A business that sells packaged products directly to customers in another EU country counts as a "producer" in that country. That means obligations in every single country you ship to: registration for extended producer responsibility, reporting, fees, and on top of that any additional national rules. Germany, for example, requires a paid contract with a so-called dual system for the take-back and recycling of your packaging. Some countries require an authorised representative.

The rules are the same for everyone, and that is exactly why they weigh heaviest on the smallest. Whether you send five parcels a year to a country or five thousand, the registrations, contracts and paperwork are largely the same. A large company spreads those costs over millions of orders. A small independent brand cannot.

What this means for ONETURTLE

Everything we make is made to order, so nothing is overproduced and nothing is wasted. Your order ships in a compostable mailer, and even the item bags dissolve in hot water. Reducing waste is not something this law needs to teach us. It is the reason ONETURTLE exists.

And still, complying with these obligations in every EU country separately is not realistic for a brand of this size right now. So we made a difficult decision: for now, we ship within the Netherlands only. Not because we want to, but because we would rather do things completely right than half.

The moment there is a workable solution for small businesses, we will open our doors to the rest of the EU again, and even to the rest of the world, a step we had planned for the end of this year. That is a promise. Until then, we will keep doing what we have always done: making clothing that lasts, with as little waste as possible.

Protect Your Shell.
Noël

Sources: RVO, EU packaging requirements (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (EUR-Lex), European Commission, Packaging waste.