California is one step closer to tackling fashion waste

UPDATE: On September 28th, Governor Newsom signed The Responsible Textile Recovery Act into law. 

Introduced by California State Senator Josh Newman, The Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB 707) successfully advanced through California’s legislature and was signed by Governor Newsom on September 28th. This landmark bill will require clothing companies operating in California to create and fund a program to help clothing get reused, repaired, and recycled. This aims to tackle our overarching problem of waste and overproduction in the fashion industry.

The problem is simple: We are producing more clothing than people can wear, and unfortunately much of it ends up in our landfills. The fashion industry is the fastest growing waste stream in the US, and according to the EPA, only 15% of textiles are actually recycled. The Responsible Textile Recovery Act would give many of these clothing items a second chance, whether they are repaired, resold, or recycled into new materials. 

Our serious waste problem is largely ​​driven by fast fashion, a type of fashion that produces cheap, trendy clothing for low cost. These items don’t last long, and they’re not intended to. Companies aren’t making clothing that’s built to last in order to encourage customers to keep buying more and more.

But what happens after you toss that old shirt in the trash? Who pays to manage and dispose of that textile waste? Us, the consumers and taxpayers.

Producers should be held accountable for their waste

In our current system, manufacturers have no incentive to minimize the waste they create – they are only incentivized to grow their profits. But with The Responsible Textile Recovery Act in effect, companies– not ratepayers and taxpayers– will be held financially responsible for what happens to their products after they’re used.

There’s a name for this type of policy: “Extended Producer Responsibility.” Across the country, programs that make producers responsible for their waste have successfully diverted waste from landfills and saved taxpayers money in the process. There are already many bills in place for things like electronics, plastic packaging and mattresses, but The Responsible Textile Recovery Act is the first in the nation to cover textile waste. This cost shift will hopefully encourage textile companies to make stuff that’s built to last and produce less overall.

California takes the lead

California has the fifth largest economy in the world and is often seen as a leader in the US on environmental issues. The state is also a hot spot for fashion as Los Angeles and Hollywood house some of the most famous celebrities, designers and influencers. Passing The Responsible Textile Recovery Act in California is a big win that could have ripple effects across the country, and show everyone that waste is out of fashion.

“To protect public health and the environment, we need to move toward a circular system that encourages big companies to make less and better quality clothing that can be repurposed, reused, repaired or recycled and prevents unnecessary waste. California’s new textile bill is one step towards that future, and we hope to see other states adopt similar legislation,” said Kathryn Horvath, Waste is Out of Fashion Campaign Associate with PIRG.