Thinking of throwing your old clothes in the trash? In California, doing so may soon be a distant memory, after the state passed the nation’s first clothing recycling law.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 28 signed Senate Bill 707, the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, which establishes the nation’s first “extended producer responsibility” textile recycling program.
The law requires clothing producers and other players in the supply chain to manage the entire lifecycle of the products and textiles they sell to consumers.
Under SB 707, producers are responsible for the collection, repair, recycling, and repurpose of garments, handbags, and backpacks, as well as towels, blankets, pillows, and other such items. Producers are also required to prioritize the use of secondhand markets and nonprofit thrift stores when establishing collection sites for the used items….