WTiN Textile Innovation Podcast speaks to Jessica Franken, director of government affairs at Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART).

SMART stands for Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association. Based in the US, the international trade association strengthens economic opportunities for its members by promoting the interdependence of the for-profit textile recycling industry segment and by providing a common forum of networking, education and advocacy.

In this episode, Franken speaks about her work across local and national governments to shape legislation supporting textile recycling and environmental responsibility. Having authored over 150 policy articles and successfully testified in legislative hearings, she has driven victories in trade, manufacturing, and labour policy. 

She touches upon the importance of Textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) placing the responsibility on producers to manage the full lifecycle of textile products, going into detail about California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act, of which SMART was fully engaged with throughout. Franken delves into what this act means and how legislation works on state and national level across the US.

For more information please visit, smartasn.org. 

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