SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): According to the City of Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment Department (LASAN), the creative pilot initiative that was started in 2020 has successfully kept more than 1,000 pounds of cotton trash out of landfills. Its second phase of activities is now over.

Under the program, which is run in association with the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC), businesses donate their leftover fabric scraps, which are then recycled into bags, apparel, and other products. Under the Outerknown brand, the new cotton shirts made from the gathered fabric waste will be available for purchase in the first part of 2025.

Joanne Brasch, CPSC Director of Advocacy noted that the pilot project has served as a proof of concept for brands to source textile waste from Los Angeles for upcycled and recycled-content products. Furthermore, he called upon interested brands seeking fibers, yarn, and fabrics made from LA-sourced fabric waste to join the next phase of the pilot.

Estimates from CalRecycle indicate that California discards more than a million tons of textiles annually. In order to manage this expanding waste stream, the state lacks a long-term program. CPSC runs innovative textile recovery pilot projects in collaboration with major cities and counties across California.

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