US congresswoman introduces ‘first-of-its’kind’ Textile Waste Reduction Act

US Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), founder and chair of the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus, has introduced the Textile Waste Reduction Act (TWRA), legislation aimed at creating the first coordinated federal framework for reducing textile waste and advancing circularity in the US textile industry.

The bill follows recommendations from the first Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examining fast fashion pollution, which was requested by Pingree and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in 2023.

“The GAO report confirmed what we’ve known for years: that textile waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the US; that it’s being driven largely by fast fashion; and that federal action is necessary to confront this crisis in a real, impactful way,” said Pingree.

Under the TWRA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be required to coordinate federal action on textile circularity and develop a National Textile Circularity Strategy. The agency would also conduct a needs assessment covering the investments and policy priorities required to implement the strategy.

The legislation would establish an Interagency Working Group on Textile Circularity and an advisory board, while pushing the EPA to identify federal funding opportunities supporting textile circularity. The EPA would also be required to publish updated annual data on textile waste generation and management.

Pingree added: “This bill would help lay the foundation for that effort by creating a coordinated federal strategy to reduce textile waste and build a more circular textile economy. Our country has the resources and know-how to lead this effort on a global scale. It’s well past time we turn that potential into action—and help transform this wasteful industry into one that’s more efficient, more sustainable, and better for people and the planet.”

Pingree, who launched the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus in June 2024 to promote policies supporting textile reduction, repair, reuse and recycling, said millions of tonnes of textiles are discarded in the US each year, with a significant majority sent to landfill. The bill also highlights the loss of US fibre and textile manufacturing jobs over recent decades as production moved overseas.