California Passes First Textile Recycling Law In US
On September 28, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB707, the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, into law. This is the first extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for textiles in the United States. The new law requires producers of household textiles—such as clothing, footwear and hospitality items—to fund and manage a statewide programme for collecting, reusing, repairing or recycling post-consumer textiles.
The law, supported by the California Product Stewardship Council and companies like H&M Group, Ikea and Marmot, aims to reduce textile waste. Producers selling textiles in California must join an industry-run producer responsibility organization (PRO) that will create textile collection points across the state, including retail take-back programmes and drop-off sites. Producers must be part of a PRO by July 1, 2026, and the full programme is set to begin by January 1, 2030.
Textile recycling is new in the US, but other countries have had similar programmes for years. For example, France has had a textile EPR programme since 2007, and the Netherlands and Sweden started their programmes in 2022 and 2023. These programmes focus on eco-friendly design, waste reduction and recycling, aligning with the European Union’s goals for sustainable textiles.
The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters globally, responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, according to the European Environment Agency. Textiles left in landfills release methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and chemicals from textiles can contaminate soil and groundwater. Despite the fact that 95% of textiles can be reused or recycled, only 15% actually are, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For over a decade, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) has advocated for policies to manage post-consumer textiles. In 2016, PSI helped create a standard list of textiles to be collected at locations like Goodwill and Salvation Army. They also brought together brands, retailers, recycling organizations and government representatives to discuss how to improve textile recycling and recovery.
