For wool textiles the time-frame is said to be ‘seven years’, while EU-regulations demand a much quicker process – an added stumbling-block being that the same legislation does not allow for industrialised products even if they are biodegradable, to be composted. 
Another issue would be the logistics of garment returns. Wendelboe designs are made to be versatile so that a dress could easily have many silhouettes and even become a skirt to give it longevity, but to actually guarantee returns is an obstacle – since a take-back system would rely on volumes. Once this is solved, the brand plans to go in to production, and launching the idea of a passport to follow this apparel as one option to create a history to go with the item as it gets resewn and upcycled in to something new.
Volume would, of course, not be a problem for someone like H&M.
Other examples cited by Kälin were Triumph’s Pure Origin underwear (available in Germany and on the Internet) and the French hosiery-giant DIM (which works with elastane fibres from Austrian Fein-Elast). However, he noted that Triumph has yet to solve the problem of the metal components it uses since the ‘biodegradable’ ones available are not yet good enough.
It was also revealed that with new legislation around the corner in France on garment returns, there was a serious debate about who will pay the cost: “DIM may opt for a postage-paid return envelope to follow their Cradle to Cradle products.”
With its C2C collection, Wendelboe may not be able to pick and chose the brightest of yellows or sharpest blues as of now, her collection was not the least bit drab.
