Hosted by the Green parliamentary group on 28 September 2026, the conference marked 25 years of consumer protection under the banner "Strong Consumers, Strong Democracy". Textiles were high on the agenda. Renate Künast, Germany's first Federal Minister for Consumer Protection, summed up the goal neatly: the sustainable choice should be the easiest and most appealing one for everyone.

Transparency is a precondition for that, as a recent Shein investigation by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany) made clear: three quarters of the products tested for PFAS exceeded EU limits. "Consumers need to be able to find out what goes into a garment and how it was made," says von Hirschhausen. She sees the textile law now being drafted by the Federal Environment Ministry as a key lever, one that could make transparency standard practice and shape the industry's future from the outset, well before its impacts need managing.

For Fashion Management students, these questions will define the industry they are about to enter.