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Responsible Textile Recovery Act: California's Sustainable Future with Circular Fashion
California's Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB 707) is the first law in the U.S. requiring apparel producers, rather than consumers, to fund and manage the collection, repair, and recycling of textile waste.
You found a great outfit that made you feel amazing, but when it no longer fits your style, what's next? Toss it? (please, don’t!) There is a better way: donate, swap, rent it, or recycle. Up until now, the burden has been on the consumer to figure out how to dispose of their clothing.
Requiring Recycling, Moving Toward Circular Fashion
The Responsibility Textile Recovery Act of 2024, signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, shifts this responsibility to the apparel producers. This groundbreaking legislation requires apparel manufacturers to collect, transport, repair, sort, and recycle apparel in the state by 2030 with a plan in place by 2028. CalRecycle, the state agency overseeing implementation, will manage PRO registration and compliance enforcement as the deadlines approach.
Extended Producer Responsibility
Fast fashion’s rapid turnover, due to low quality and microtrends, yields a shocking amount of textile waste. 85% of all textiles end up in landfills where they emit greenhouse gasses. The California law establishes the first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for clothing in the U.S., pushing the fashion industry towards a circular fashion model.
Producer Responsibility Organizations
The new law requires apparel producers to form or join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). Along with completing plans for product end-of-life, the PRO aim is to make the fashion industry more sustainable by addressing PFAS and other harmful chemicals used during recycling.
The intent of the Act is to stop textile waste from fast fashion companies importing their products that quickly end up clogging landfills. They are working to force the fashion industry to reduce waste and increase sustainability by creating a framework for producers and other participants in the value chain to take responsibility for the entire life of their product.
Before being passed, the bill had support from a wide range of organizations, including Goodwill and brands like H&M and IKEA. Since then, implementation has drawn some friction: the American Apparel and Footwear Association has filed a legal challenge over CalRecycle's selection of Landbell USA as the state's Producer Responsibility Organization, arguing it doesn't meet the law's governance requirements.
Landbell USA: California's Approved PRO
On February 27, 2026 2026, CalRecycle selected Landbell USA as the state's official Producer Responsibility Organization for SB 707. Landbell USA is now responsible for producer registration, statewide needs assessment, infrastructure development, and reporting to CalRecycle as the law moves from planning into execution.
All producers of covered apparel and textile products, meaning brand owners, importers, or retailers with more than $1 million in annual global turnover selling into California, were required to register with Landbell USA by July 1, 2026. Registration currently carries a flat annual fee of $1,000 to fund the pre-implementation phase and the statewide Needs Assessment. Producers can register directly through Landbell USA's portal.
As implementation progresses, California residents will be able to recycle used clothing at local collection points. The law could be the blueprint (let’s hope) for nationwide change in how we manage textile waste.
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