What to know about the Californian act pushing for textile recovery

Last month, the Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB 707) passed the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee, taking it one step closer to being implemented into legislation in the Sunshine State. It is one of many bills hoping to bolster the sustainable textile industry currently attempting to be signed into law across the US. If achieved, what will the bill hope to enforce?

What does the act involve?

SB 707 was introduced by Senator Josh Newman who called it “a landmark, first-in-the-country, textile-recycling bill”. Its overarching goal would be to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme in the state, facilitating the reuse, repair and recycling of clothing and textile fibres. The stewardship programme would involve the inclusion of producers that would be tasked with helping to ensure the collection and recycling of any clothing or textile products unsuitable for reuse.

Among the planned efforts of SB 707 is that of building up new production and consumption opportunities intending to benefit the environment, alongside strengthening the abilities of secondhand stores to help them handle unsellable garments by incentivising more sustainable, easy-to-recycle materials. According to Newman, both the act and its accompanying programme “have the potential to develop previously untapped or underutilised upcycling and recycling clothing and fibre markets” while further supporting state efforts to encourage the repair and reuse of such products.

Who is behind it and what comes next?

After extensive stakeholder engagement in what Newman said was a “collaborative process” that “resulted in dozens of improvements”, the bill has received “widespread support” from across industries. While Ikea, the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC), Goodwill, Sierra Club California and Republic Services have all expressed their support for the bill, material recycling tech firm Circ has also approved of the cause.

In a statement, CEO of Circ, Peter Majeranowski, said: “Textile recycling is a growing industry domestically, creating jobs and reviving manufacturing in areas near recycling facilities. We’ve seen the fashion industry really step up to adopt fibres and yarns with lower impacts. Circ thanks Senator Newman for leading in California to incentive funding for textile recycling.”

The Natural Resources Committee is a standing committee of the California State Assembly that is assigned to investigate proposed bills regarding energy efficiency, renewable energy, air quality, recycling and coastal protection, among other environmental-related factors. With this committee’s approval, SB 707 will now be passed on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for a hearing before moving on to the full Assembly.