CalRecycle has selected Landbell USA to administer California's Responsible Textile Recovery Act, marking the first US law holding clothing producers accountable for waste. The program starts on February 27, 2026, with requirements phasing in through 2030. Brands selling clothes and household textiles in the state will fund collection and processing.
California's SB 707, known as the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, introduces extended producer responsibility for textiles. CalRecycle chose Landbell USA to run the program, set to begin February 27, 2026. Producers will cover costs for managing post-consumer textile waste, addressing the 17 million tons generated annually in the US, according to EPA's 2018 data, with a recovery rate of just 14.7 percent. Most recovered textiles end up downcycled into rags or insulation rather than new clothing. Donations often lead to exports or landfilling, as thrift stores resell only 10 to 30 percent of items, with restrictions in countries like Ghana and Kenya adding pressure to the system. Clothing waste ties to falling prices and fast fashion from brands like Shein and Temu, with garments worn just seven to ten times on average. Households discard $570 to $760 worth yearly, amid fashion's 2 to 8 percent share of global emissions and heavy water use. Other states including New York, Massachusetts, and Washington are eyeing similar measures. Advances in fiber-to-fiber recycling by firms like Circ and Syre offer hope, though economics hinge on policy and infrastructure.