California has set a groundbreaking national precedent with its new law, which mandates clothing manufacturers to recycle used clothing.

Governor Newsom signed the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, also known as bill SB707, on September 28. This marks the introduction of the first extended producer responsibility textile recycling program in the United States.

Under the new law, garment manufacturers and other entities in the supply chain are obligated to oversee the entire life cycle of the products and textiles they provide to consumers. The primary objective of bill SB707 is to minimize the volume of clothing and textiles disposed of in landfills while encouraging their reuse and recycling.

Research indicates that the average American discards around 82 pounds of clothing and textiles annually, with over 80% of it being either incinerated or ending up in landfills. This results in the release of pollutants into the air, as well as the leaching of harmful dyes and synthetic fibers into the soil and groundwater.