Fashion industry players, the American Circular Textiles (ACT) group, PoliticallyinFashion, Rebecca Ballard Advisory, Transparentem, and TS Designs jointly hosted a congressional briefing aimed at informing congressional staff about crucial issues in the fashion industry and exploring potential solutions.
The briefing outlined important domestic economic prospects for promoting a more ethical industry, as well as the necessary governmental framework. One of the speakers at the event, Rachel Kibbe from ACT, suggested policy changes to improve textile recycling while fostering the US economy and job prospects.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles and sales and use tax exemptions for used items were a few of these measures. These ideas emphasised the importance of policy in addressing ethical and environmental issues and fostering the fashion industry’s economic development.
Other urgent issues were highlighted in the briefing, such as the difficulties and potential solutions associated with forced labour in the fashion supply chain, the advantages of regenerative and circular fashion, and the overall ethical and environmental effects of the industry.
Kibbe commented, “Textile waste is the nation’s fastest-growing waste stream and it’s coming at the cost of both the environment and the US taxpayers who have to pay for clothes to be burned and hauled to our overflowing landfills.”
Insights from the congressional briefing are expected to inform future policy initiatives promoting ethical, sustainable, and economically robust fashion practices.
