California's Clothing Take-Back Law Clears Its First Legal Hurdle

Extended producer responsibility, or EPR, means the company that makes a product also pays for what happens to it once it is thrown away. California's SB 707 applies this idea to clothing and textiles for the first time in the US.

The key facts:

• SB 707 is the first US law making clothing brands fund the collection, repair, reuse and recycling of their products
• A court has tentatively rejected a legal challenge against it
• Brands with more than $1 million in global sales had to register by 1 July 2026
• Regulators meet again on 29 September 2026 to shape fees and programme details

Brands are being asked to think about a garment's whole life. You can do the same: mend what you own, pass on what you no longer wear, and buy pieces made to be repaired.