What the Biden Administration’s Response to GAO Means for Textile Waste in the US

Here's what it means, and next steps from industry experts

December 21, 2024

Welcome to Week/End—your quick-hit guide to sustainability news at the intersection of fashion, business, and ethics. Each week, we deliver the need-to-know headlines, industry news, and more straight to your inbox—keeping you up-to-date, ahead of the curve, and ready to lead the conversation—without the overwhelm.

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Whether this year felt like a win, a lesson, or a little of both, we hope you find time to recharge and reset.

We’ll be back in January with our bold predictions for 2025 to help you tackle the year ahead with clarity and confidence. Until then, we’re wishing you a happy (and very restful) holiday season—you deserve it!

Here’s what happened in sustainable fashion news this week/end:

• Biden rejects federal coordination on textile recycling.

• Asos, Boozt, and others join decarbonization effort.

• Resale spending surges.

• Carbios delays plant.

• Bangladesh textile giant cuts 40,000 jobs amid liquidity issues and labor unrest.

• Shein joins CBP pilot.

• Under Armour tests microfibers.

Let’s dive in!

What the Biden Administration’s Response to GAO Means for Textile Waste in the US

Last week, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its first-ever report on the environmental and systemic challenges posed by the growing surplus of discarded textiles. This report is a milestone as the first federal acknowledgment of textile waste as a major issue in the U.S.

(Haven’t had a chance to read the report yet? Read it here)

According to the report, textile waste in the U.S. has increased by over 50% from 2000 to 2018, with over 66% of discarded textiles ending up in landfills as of the latest data. Contributing factors include the rise of fast fashion, marked by a 182% increase in U.S. textile and apparel imports since 2000.

The GAO highlighted several key barriers to addressing these challenges, including limited infrastructure for sorting and recycling, the difficulty of processing blended fibers, fragmented collection systems, insufficient funding, and low consumer awareness of sustainable disposal options.

To tackle these issues, the GAO recommended aligning federal agencies to create a unified strategy, increasing funding and incentives for circular solutions, and fostering private-sector collaboration.

However, the Biden administration, through the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), rejected the idea of creating a formal interagency group, saying it might duplicate existing efforts. The GAO then pushed back, arguing that informal coordination isn’t enough to handle the problem on the scale that’s needed.

In response to the report, American Circular Textiles hosted a webinar to explore its implications for the fashion industry. Discussions centered on the GAO’s findings, the administration’s response, and the necessary next steps for federal and state advocacy, recycling systems, and industry priorities.

Here were our takeaways:

1. Unify and Formalize Industry Advocacy

A recurring theme throughout the webinar was the fragmented nature of the textile and fashion industries, which weakens advocacy efforts and makes achieving meaningful progress on circularity and sustainability goals more difficult. To address this, the industry must:

• Create a Unified Voice: Fragmented efforts dilute impact. A unified message with shared priorities ensures the industry is heard by policymakers and regulators.

• Pool Financial Resources: Establish collective funding mechanisms to support coordinated lobbying efforts. This can enable the industry to exert more influence on federal initiatives like the America’s Act and state-level Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills.

• Learn from Other Industries: Take inspiration from sectors like renewable energy, which have successfully united in advocacy efforts to secure funding, tax incentives, and robust policy support.

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2. Transform Internal Corporate Structures

Brands are currently unprepared for regulatory changes due to limited internal coordination and a lack of proactive engagement. To stay ahead of legislation and market shifts, companies must:

• Move Beyond Sustainability Silos: Sustainability managers cannot be the only ones engaged. Brands need dedicated policy and compliance teams that bridge sustainability, legal, and operational departments.

• Engage C-Suite Executives: Leadership must prioritize regulatory readiness and align business strategies with upcoming policies. Without executive buy-in, efforts remain scattered and reactive.

• Centralize Policy Tracking and Action: Many brands lack departments dedicated to tracking policy changes and ensuring compliance. Establishing centralized teams focused on regulatory developments will reduce risk and foster proactive planning.

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3. Develop Infrastructure While Shaping Policy

Circularity efforts are often held back by the lack of infrastructure for textile collection, sorting, recycling, and reuse in the U.S. The industry must tackle infrastructure development alongside policy engagement:

• Infrastructure Investments: Build out collection systems, sorting facilities, and advanced recycling technologies to handle the growing volume of textile waste.

• Collaborative Policy Engagement: Advocate for federal incentives to fund these infrastructure developments, ensuring equitable support across the industry.

• Highlight Economic Opportunities: Frame circularity initiatives as opportunities for job creation and domestic manufacturing growth. Investments in infrastructure could generate employment in collection, sorting, recycling, and remanufacturing.

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4. Increase Consumer Awareness

Consumer behavior plays a crucial role in the success of circular models. Many consumers remain unaware of the benefits and accessibility of reuse, repair, and rental. To address this gap:

• Targeted Awareness Campaigns: Develop campaigns that educate consumers on the value of circular fashion and how they can participate.

• Simplify Messaging: Use relatable and clear communication to make circularity feel accessible and achievable for all demographics.

• Leverage Existing Channels: Partner with retailers, brands, and advocacy groups to amplify the reach of these messages across diverse platforms.

Echoing these sentiments, our founder,

Brittany Sierra

, emphasized in a recent Vogue Business article that the key to meaningful change lies in integrating infrastructure improvements with a deep understanding of consumer psychology.

“The GAO's acknowledgment of textile waste as a significant concern is a massive step forward,” Sierra noted. “But educating consumers about textile recycling must go hand in hand with fixing the existing infrastructure gaps. We’ve already seen the fallout when public campaigns, like those promoting plastic recycling, outpaced the infrastructure to support them. This disconnect created confusion, frustration, and ultimately, distrust in the system.”

Sierra emphasized that most consumer decision-making is subconscious, shaped by habits and environmental cues rather than rational thought. “Behavioral science shows that people naturally gravitate toward the path of least resistance, especially when faced with overwhelming choices or unclear guidance. Most people aren’t neglecting sustainability because they don’t care—they’re just trying to navigate the chaos of daily life.”

She pointed out that systems must be designed to meet people where they are, integrating sustainable behaviors into daily routines in ways that feel seamless and effortless. “Expecting consumers to navigate unclear or inconsistent recycling pathways isn’t just unrealistic—it risks undermining the system’s success,” Sierra warned. “When faced with decision fatigue, many default to the simplest option: tossing textiles in the trash. That’s why the design of recycling systems matters just as much as the education campaigns that support them.”

What the Biden Administration's Response to the GAO Report Means for the Industry

The absence of federal coordination is driving regulatory development to the state level, creating what industry experts describe as a "patchwork" approach. This poses significant challenges for companies, particularly those operating across multiple states, as they will need to navigate varying compliance rules, reporting standards, and fees.

The GAO emphasized the need for increased funding and incentives to support circular solutions. However, without strong and unified industry advocacy, these measures might not materialize. In the absence of coordinated federal action, companies are left to comply with increasingly stringent regulations while lacking the financial support needed to develop the infrastructure required for compliance.

Simultaneously, state-level EPR bills are gaining traction, with Federal-level initiatives likely to follow as public and governmental interest in addressing textile waste intensifies.

This convergence creates a "perfect storm" where companies must contend with both state-level requirements and potential federal oversight, each potentially imposing conflicting demands.

The industry faces a critical choice: proactively engage in shaping policies to ensure they are workable, economically viable, and supportive of innovation, or remain reactive, navigating potentially burdensome regulations developed without their input.

The GAO’s call for federal coordination underscores the need for a unified strategy, but the administration’s rejection of this recommendation highlights the urgency of private-sector collaboration to bridge the gap.

Steps for Companies to Take Now

Regulation is coming to the fashion industry whether or not companies actively participate in its development. To prepare for upcoming regulatory changes and contribute to shaping the future of circularity, companies can:

• Join advocacy efforts and organizations: Collaborate with peers to build a unified voice for the industry.

• Assess internal readiness: Evaluate current structures and processes to ensure preparedness for upcoming regulations.

• Allocate resources for engagement: Dedicate financial and personnel resources to advocacy, compliance, and policy engagement.

• Participate in policy development: Engage in the legislative process, particularly for state-level EPR bills.

• Plan for infrastructure improvements: Begin developing or investing in collection and recycling infrastructure to align with circular economy goals.

💬 Is there another barrier not listed here that hits closer to home? Join the conversation and drop your thoughts in the comments!

Texas Lawsuit Highlights Risks of PFAS in Fashion—What Companies Need to Know

Last week, we shared news that Texas filed a lawsuit against 3M, DuPont, and Corteva for allegedly misrepresenting the safety of PFAS-containing products. These chemicals, often used in stain-resistant and water-repellent coatings for textiles, raise questions about their role in fashion and whether the industry could face similar legal challenges.

To better understand the risks, we reached out to Ben Mead, Managing Director of Hohenstein Institute America, Inc., who shared this:

"We are hearing from some lawyers we work with that companies are definitely at risk if they make 'PFAS-free' type claims and then someone tests products and detects PFAS substances. We are seeing more companies leaning towards 'free of intentionally added PFAS.' This leaves the door open for the risk of contamination. This is also similar to the use of testing methods where reporting zero is not done. Usually, the lowest reporting is phrased as 'not detected,' which is related to the limit value of the test method used."

What this means:
Brands need to tread carefully with PFAS-related claims to avoid legal or reputational risks. Shifting language to “free of intentionally added PFAS” and understanding testing limitations can help mitigate these challenges.

INSIGHTS:

► Asos, Boozt, Selfridges Group, and Cascale have joined the Fashion Leap for Climate initiative, co-founded in 2022 by About You Group, Yoox Net-a-Porter, and Zalando. The program, curated by sustainability consultancy Quantis, offers a free 8-week educational framework to help fashion brands measure carbon footprints and set science-based targets. With the addition of these members, the initiative now reaches over 100 brands, focusing on decarbonizing supply chains and aligning with global climate goals.

► Resale is outpacing growth in the overall apparel, accessories, and footwear industries, with year-over-year spending increasing 5% in October, according to Consumer Edge. Shoppers aged 25-44 increased their share of resale spending by over 6% in 2024, driving the sector's overall growth.

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MANUFACTURING:

► Carbios has delayed the construction of its Longlaville PET biorecycling plant by 6 to 9 months as it secures additional financing, including an €86 million application under France's Strategic Projects Guarantee scheme. Founder Philippe Pouletty has taken over as interim CEO, replacing Emmanuel Ladent, as the company targets binding commercial contracts in early 2025.

► Beximco, one of Bangladesh's largest textile and garment manufacturers, has begun laying off 40,000 workers across 16 factories as of December 16, citing financial struggles and the inability to secure credit for raw materials. The company, which supplies major brands like Inditex and PVH Corp., continues to face significant liquidity issues, labor unrest, and unpaid loans following the arrest of its co-founder Salman F. Rahman on charges including money laundering. The government is exploring options to revive parts of Beximco’s operations under new ownership, while its textile and apparel division remains temporarily closed.

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CUSTOMS & TRADE

► In an effort to demonstrate compliance and transparency amid scrutiny of de minimis provisions and supply chain practices, Shein has joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Section 321 Data Pilot. The program aims to enhance oversight of low-value shipments entering the U.S. duty-free under the de minimis rule. Participants, including Shein, provide detailed shipment data such as sender and recipient information and product descriptions, enabling CBP to flag high-risk imports while expediting legitimate ones.

The move follows Shein's efforts to address sustainability and corporate responsibility, recently creating two independent advisory boards to guide its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies. These boards will provide insights on emerging trends, risks, and opportunities, while offering feedback on Shein’s current policies and practices, as outlined in the company's announcement.

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INNOVATION:

► Under Armour, Hohenstein, and PPT Group have developed a standardized test method to measure microfiber release from textiles under simulated washing conditions. The method uses tabletop equipment to simulate washing, filter sample water, and analyze fiber release through microscope evaluation, enabling apparel and textile companies to assess and compare microfiber release across materials during product development.

NORTH AMERICA

• REI | Product Compliance Manager
  Seattle, WA | Remote・Full-Time
  $96.4K/yr - $140.3K/yr
  → Apply here

• Centric Brands | VP of Environmental, Social, and Governance
  New York, NY | Hybrid・Full-Time・Executive
  $225K/yr - $265K/yr
  → Apply here

• Tapestry | Summer ESG & Sustainability Internships
  New York, NY | Hybrid・Internship
  $20/hr
  → Apply here

• Patagonia | Category Director Oceans
  Ventura, CA | On-Site・Full-Time・Mid-Senior Level
  $179.1K/yr - $268.7K/yr
  → Apply here

EUROPE

• Stella McCartney | Sustainability Director
  Milan, Italy | Full-Time・Director
  → Apply here

• Valentino | Sustainability Coordinator - Maternity Cover
  Milan, Italy | Hybrid・Contract
  → Apply here

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