This new body will lead efforts to divert apparel and textiles from landfills by collecting, repairing, reusing, and recycling post-consumer materials. The initiative aligns with California’s pioneering Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law for textiles—the first of its kind in the US.
Signed into law in 2024, California’s SB 707 requires producers and importers of textiles to take responsibility for the end-of-life management by joining and funding PRO. It will develop and implement a plan to meet the requirements of the law, including the collection, transportation, repair, recycling and the safe and proper management of covered products, they said in a joint press statement.
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery must approve a PRO by March 1, 2026, following a January 1, 2026, PRO application deadline.
The initiative aims to establish an independent, producer-led PRO to represent and ensure compliance of all producers of apparel and textile articles covered under SB 707. It will foster collaboration across the textile value chain by actively engaging manufacturers, brands, retailers, collectors, sorters, recyclers, repair businesses, and other key stakeholders to drive innovation and maximise the programme’s impact.
The PRO will also be responsible for developing and implementing an effective stewardship programme that fulfils all legal requirements while strengthening infrastructure for the collection, repair, reuse, and recycling of textiles.
“California’s groundbreaking SB 707 positions our state as a national leader in responsible textile management. The California Retailers Association is proud to set the standard for innovation and collaboration in environmental sustainability. We are dedicated to guiding the implementation of this transformative law and to establishing a PRO that unites and empowers the wide array of producers selling textiles in California. Our commitment is to deliver real impact for our communities, our environment, and the future of retail in California,” said Rachel Michelin, president, California Retailers Association.
“This partnership signals our industry’s commitment to collaborate in support of a circular transition. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from across our industry supply chain, we are launching an inclusive organisation that is right for the California market and regulatory environment, establishing California as the standard for similar approaches nationwide,” said Steve Lamar, president and CEO, AAFA.
“Our associations have a shared commitment to ensuring the success of SB 707. Collectively, our members bring significant experience in PRO-building, EPR compliance and implementation to this effort. We look forward to working together to establish an organisation that supports the entire producer community to meet the immediate needs in California and potential future needs if other states adopt similar approaches,” said Stephanie Martz, chief administrative officer and legal counsel, NRF.
The associations have begun the process of forming an independent 501(c)(3) PRO to meet all requirements under SB 707 and prepare for the application process. The PRO is expected to be operational in early 2026, with the initial focus on registering producers by July 1, 2026.
Additionally, it will conduct an initial statewide needs assessment to determine the necessary steps and investment needed to fulfil the law’s requirements and inform the program budget and plan.
The PRO will prioritise early outreach to producers and will engage with interested parties to lay the groundwork for implementation, added the statement.
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