Washington Becomes Third US State to Introduce Textile EPR Bill
Overview of House Bill 1420
On January 20, 2025, the state of Washington introduced House Bill 1420, a bill that proposes an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for textiles. The introduction of this bill marks Washington as the third state in the last two years to have done so.
“Globally, 92 million tons of textile waste are produced annually, with less than 1% recycled into new products,” said Denise Diorio McVeigh, North American Customer Engagement and Business Development Manager at RLG. “Fast fashion is growing, and over half of clothing items are disposed of within a year. This is a global issue, and we all have a role to play.”
What Is Textile EPR?
Textile EPR programs are designed to make producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, from creation to disposal. Producers are required to form or join Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) to manage the collection, repair, recycle, and reuse of textiles. Consumers also have a role to play in textile EPR, by properly following laws that require proper disposition of clothing and other textiles.
EPR programs for textiles are expected to benefit both the environment and the economy. By improving the circular economy, these programs can generate new business opportunities in the recycling and repair sectors. They also encourage innovation in product design, as producers are incentivized to create more durable and recyclable products. It is hoped that this shift will lead to a reduction in the overall environmental footprint of the textile industry.
Overview of Textile EPR Laws In the United States
House bill 1420 marks a significant step toward a more sustainable textile industry in Washington State. The goal of the bill is to establish a statewide EPR program for apparel and textiles, emphasizing repair and reuse, and minimizing environmental and public health impacts. If passed, the bill would require textile producers to either register with a PRO or form their own PRO by January 1, 2027. Producers would bear the full cost of implementing the program, including textile collection, sorting, and recycling.
Washington’s bill follows in the footsteps of other US states introducing textile EPR, notably California and New York. California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 (SB 707) was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 28, 2024.
This landmark legislation, overseen by California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), mandates that producers implement and finance programs aimed at reducing textile waste through reuse, repair, and recycling.
The California law sets ambitious targets for textile collection, reuse, and recycling, with the aim of creating easily accessible drop-off locations for consumers. The law covers a wide range of textile products, including apparel, footwear, and household items such as curtains, blankets, and towels.
New York introduced a textile EPR bill in the assembly in 2023–2024 legislative session, as well as in the 2025–2026 legislative session for the senate. The state has been actively exploring EPR programs for various products, and a textile EPR bill would align with its broader environmental goals. The introduction of such legislation would further solidify the trend of states adopting EPR programs to address the growing issue of textile waste.
RLG’s Role in Textile EPR Compliance Support
In the space of textile EPR, RLG’s role is multifaceted. RLG supports producers (brands and manufacturers) with nearly all activities that are needed to comply with textile EPR laws, including EPR Impact Analysis to determine a company’s obligations, data management, and reporting.
RLG also offers PRO Services and Support, providing wide support to groups charged with operating PROs (from producer engagement, to the development of custom IT frameworks, to data management, and much more). RLG draws on over thirty years of knowledge gleaned from boots-on-the-ground experience in PRO operations.
What Textile and Apparel Brands Need To Know about Textile EPR
The rules and regulations surrounding textile EPR laws are still in development, and brands will need to be vigilant of deadlines and procedures in order to remain in compliance with the laws. Here are some key tasks producers will need to perform under textile EPR laws in the United States:
- Understand your obligations: Start by evaluating laws to determine if your company will be responsible to comply. RLG’s EPR Impact Analysis cuts through the complexities of legislation to provide you a fully-scoped view of what textile EPR could mean to your business—not only in the United States, but worldwide.
- Stay informed: The textile EPR landscape is evolving rapidly, and you’ll need a way to monitor changes that will lead to countless hours of sifting through unreliable sources. RLG’s Horizon Scanning service keeps businesses abreast of important changes to EPR laws.
- Prepare data now: RLG offers data management services that are in line with EPR laws across multiple material types, including packaging, textiles, and more.
Textile EPR Worldwide
Textile EPR laws have already been enacted in Europe, with new countries adopting textile EPR and the European Union also mandating it. We invite you to contact your local RLG representative to learn more about how we are supporting producers and PROs with textile EPR compliance.
Disclaimer: This article was written for informational purposes only and should not be used or cited for legal purposes. Information is accurate as of the time of publication, however, deadlines, regulations, and policies are regularly subject to change. Always refer to primary sources for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
