California has taken a groundbreaking step in tackling fashion and textile waste with the passage of SB 707, the Responsible Textile Recovery Act. Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, this first-of-its-kind legislation in the U.S. mandates that clothing, apparel, and textile producers create a recycling program by 2026. The aim is to combat the growing environmental crisis posed by the fast fashion industry and textile waste, which has increasingly burdened the state’s landfills and ecosystem.
The new law, passed with overwhelming support from state legislators, requires producers to be responsible for the collection, repair, reuse, and recycling of textiles statewide. By 2030, convenient drop-off points will be made available to the public, allowing Californians to participate in a more sustainable and circular textile economy. State Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), the bill’s author, emphasized that the legislation is not just about recycling but about changing the way people think about textile waste. “The framework created by SB 707 will create new opportunities for every Californian to participate in a more sustainable future,” Newman stated.
Textile waste has become a critical environmental issue both in California and worldwide. In the U.S., textile waste has surged nearly tenfold since 1960, reaching over 18.7 million tons in 2018, with an overwhelming 85 percent of it ending up in landfills. Textiles, when left to rot, leach toxic chemicals and dyes into the soil and water, while emitting methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Meanwhile, despite 95% of textiles being recyclable, only 15 percent are reused, highlighting a vast gap between potential and practice.
This waste is exacerbated by the fast fashion industry, where consumers buy cheap, disposable clothing intended to last only a few wears before being discarded. These practices not only contribute to environmental degradation but also pose a significant financial burden on taxpayers. In California alone, over 1.2 million tons of textiles were thrown away in 2021, costing more than $70 million to manage the waste.
While initially met with resistance from industry groups, SB 707 has garnered widespread support after significant negotiations. Environmental organizations, municipal waste managers, and retailers such as Ikea and Goodwill have endorsed the bill. Chelsea Murtha, Senior Director of Sustainability at the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), emphasized the importance of collaboration with California’s CalRecycle in the program’s development. “Over the past month, AAFA has intensified conversations with Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) from other industries, as well as key stakeholders in our industry, to ensure we are in the best possible position to assist with PRO formation,” Murtha said.
The creation of a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) is at the heart of the bill’s implementation. Fashion brands, textile manufacturers, and other stakeholders must collaborate to design strategies for effective textile collection, repair, and recycling. By 2026, companies are expected to have nonprofit organizations in place to manage these programs, which will range from mail-return initiatives to thrift store collection sites.
For brands like H&M, which have been involved in similar initiatives in Europe, the transition to California’s new system is seen as a step toward sustainability. “As a global fashion retailer, we have an important role to play, and that is why we are transforming our business towards circularity and reducing emissions,” said Randi Marshall, H&M’s regional head of sustainability for the Americas. Similar recycling programs in France and the Netherlands have provided a blueprint for how California can successfully implement its law.
A significant concern tied to textile waste is its export to poorer countries, a practice known as waste colonialism. When donated or discarded clothing is unsuitable for reuse, it is often shipped to the Global South, where countries like Ghana and Chile become dumping grounds for fast fashion waste. These massive piles of clothing, resembling multicolored dunes in deserts and landfills, illustrate the broader problem of exporting the environmental consequences of over-consumption to vulnerable communities.
The Or Foundation, a nonprofit advocating for improved waste management in the fashion industry, has been vocal about the issue. “Waste colonialism is when a group of people uses waste and pollution to dominate another group of people in their homeland,” the foundation noted. The passage of SB 707 is a step toward addressing these global injustices by creating systems that prioritize local recycling and reduce the need to export waste.
California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act sets the stage for a potential national shift in how textile waste is handled. The state’s success could inspire other states to follow suit, pushing for a more unified approach to tackling the fashion industry’s environmental impact. However, Rachel Kibbe, CEO of ACT and Circular Services Group, warned that without federal legislation, a patchwork of state-level laws could create inconsistencies that undermine progress. “A unified federal approach would streamline the system, prevent disjointed efforts, and better enable businesses to comply across state lines,” Kibbe explained.
Despite the challenges, the passage of SB 707 marks a significant step toward a circular economy in textiles. By encouraging manufacturers to adopt sustainable designs and take responsibility for the full life cycle of their products, California is leading the charge in reducing textile waste and promoting environmental accountability.
As Senator Newman noted, “California is again at the forefront of innovation, proving we can lead the way in creating a circular and sustainable textile economy that benefits everyone.” The future of fashion, it seems, is not just in creating new styles but in re-imagining what happens to those garments after they’ve been worn.
“The industry can no longer rely on voluntary commitments—accountability is now law,” Kibbe said.
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