Future of Textile Recycling
According to estimates by the US EPA, the United States alone produces 17 MILLION METRIC TONS of textile waste each year. The worldwide figure is around 92 MILLION METRIC TONS. Less than 15 percent is recycled each year. It’s a bit overwhelming to think about, but we have the power to change those figures.
Some US states have had enough. California recently passed the nation’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act for textile recycling. It requires producers of textiles and apparel that sell into the state of California to pay for textile recycling utilizing existing infrastructure, like donation stores and other drop-off locations. Vermont and other states have some less restrictive programs in place already, and the state of New York is considering a similar EPR program.
WestPoint Hospitality is headquartered in Anderson, SC and it’s a little-known fact that South Carolina has the most mature textile recycling industry collective in the nation. We are currently partnered with Revive Fibers in Spartanburg, SC, to offer small-scale textile recycling to our customers and continually look for large-scale opportunities with our customers.