WA Lawmaker's Plan to Reduce Textile Waste Stalls

Bill to establish 'extended producer responsibility' program for clothing and textiles fails to advance in state legislature

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A bill sponsored by Washington state Rep. Kristine Reeves that aimed to reduce textile waste by holding companies accountable for the lifecycle of their products did not advance out of the House Appropriations Committee by a key deadline and will not move forward this year. The measure called for an 'extended producer responsibility' program that would have required companies to fund expanded consumer access to collection sites and infrastructure for sorting, repairing and recycling garments and other textile goods.

Why it matters

The bill was intended to shift disposal costs from taxpayers and local governments to the companies that make and sell textile products, particularly in the era of 'fast fashion' where inexpensive clothing has a short lifespan. Supporters say the measure is necessary to address the growing problem of textile waste, but opponents argued the policy framework was too complicated and wanted the state to wait and see how a similar program plays out in California.

The details

The original bill called for textile companies to join a producer responsibility organization that would form a governing board and conduct a needs assessment to review the state's current reuse, repair and recycling facilities. As amended, the bill only mandated a study to determine how a potential regulatory program could be implemented, but even that slimmed-down version failed to gain traction. Opponents said the bill was premature and urged the legislature to wait on California's recently adopted Responsible Textile Recovery Act.

  • The bill was sponsored by Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way.
  • The bill did not advance out of the House Appropriations Committee by a Monday deadline and will not move forward this year.
  • Last year, the Washington Legislature passed its first extended producer responsibility law, the Recycling Reform Act, which requires producers to fund packaging and paper recycling.

The players

Rep. Kristine Reeves

A Democratic state representative from Federal Way who sponsored the bill to establish an 'extended producer responsibility' program for textiles.

Association of Washington Business

An organization that opposed the bill, arguing the policy framework was too complicated.

Zero Waste Washington

A nonprofit advocacy group that supported the bill and was a driving force behind the packaging recycling legislation.

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What they’re saying

“We've made it really easy to overconsume. We can do the 'and both' of reducing textile waste while boosting our repair economy.”

— Rep. Kristine Reeves (dailyfly.com)

“There's 15 different types of textiles in my suit jacket. You can find a policy framework for managing that, but it's very complicated.”

— Peter Godlewski, Government Affairs Director, Association of Washington Business (dailyfly.com)

What’s next

Rep. Reeves said she intends to reintroduce the bill next year.

The takeaway

The failure of this bill highlights the challenges of implementing extended producer responsibility policies, even as states grapple with the growing problem of textile waste. The debate over who should bear the costs of recycling and proper disposal will likely continue as lawmakers seek solutions to reduce waste and shift the burden away from taxpayers.