I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1239 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to estab-
lish a voluntary sustainable apparel labeling program, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 12, 2025 
Mr. CASTEN (for himself and Ms. SALAZAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency to establish a voluntary sustainable apparel label-
ing program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Voluntary Sustainable 
Apparel Labeling Act’’. 
SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY SUSTAINABLE APPAREL LABELING 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
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(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘Administrator’’) shall carry 
out a voluntary sustainable apparel labeling program 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘labeling pro-
gram’’). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator shall 
establish and operate the labeling program in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Federal Trade Commission. 
(3) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator shall finalize regulations to carry out the 
labeling program. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Under the labeling program— 
(1) any person that sells an article of apparel 
may submit an application to the Administrator to 
enter the article of apparel into the labeling pro-
gram; 
(2) the Administrator shall specify the informa-
tion to be included in an application under para-
graph (1); 
(3) the Administrator shall review any applica-
tion submitted under paragraph (1) and make a de-
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termination regarding whether to include the article 
of apparel in the labeling program— 
(A) on the basis of whether the Adminis-
trator believes the person submitting the appli-
cation will adhere to the requirements of the la-
beling program; and 
(B) not on the basis of an assessment of 
the benefits to the environment associated with 
the article of apparel; 
(4) a person (referred to in this section as a 
‘‘participant’’) that sells an article of apparel that 
the Administrator has determined to include in the 
labeling program (referred to in this section as the 
‘‘participating article of apparel’’) may attach a label 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘apparel sustain-
ability label’’) to— 
(A) the participating article of apparel; or 
(B) packaging used for the sole purpose of 
containing the participating article of apparel; 
(5) the Administrator shall establish require-
ments for the visual form of the apparel sustain-
ability label that shall— 
(A) convey the information described in 
paragraph (6) to the consumer in a manner 
that is determined by the Administrator to be 
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most useful to the consumer at the point of sale 
in making apparel purchasing decisions; 
(B) not convey that any given article of ap-
parel is acceptable or unacceptable, but instead 
provide the consumer a numerical quantifica-
tion of the information described in paragraph 
(6); 
(C) employ words, numbers, and imagery, 
as specified by the Administrator; 
(D) convey the fact that the information 
on the apparel sustainability label has been 
verified under requirements established by the 
Environmental Protection Agency; and 
(E) include a logo to help the consumer 
identify the label as being associated with the 
labeling program; 
(6) the information included on the apparel sus-
tainability label shall— 
(A) convey a numerical summary of the 
best available information regarding the total 
greenhouse gas emissions released throughout 
the full life cycle of the participating article of 
apparel and its input materials, including in as-
sociation with— 
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(i) growing of plant fibers and other 
agricultural inputs; 
(ii) 
manufacture 
of 
the 
non-
agricultural input materials; 
(iii) manufacture of the participating 
article of apparel; 
(iv) packaging; 
(v) transportation of the input mate-
rials and the participating article of ap-
parel; 
(vi) storage; 
(vii) presentation in a retail apparel 
establishment; 
(viii) consumer use, including the en-
ergy used to— 
(I) wash the participating article 
of apparel; and 
(II) prepare the participating ar-
ticle of apparel for use, including by 
ironing or pressing; 
(ix) end-of-life reuse, recycling, treat-
ment, and disposal of the participating ar-
ticle of apparel and its packaging; and 
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(x) any other aspect of the full life 
cycle of the participating article of apparel 
associated with greenhouse gas emissions; 
(B) convey a summary of the voluntary 
commitment made regarding the participating 
article of apparel, as reported under subsection 
(c)(1); and 
(C) provide electronic access immediately 
available to the consumer at the point of sale 
through a quick response (QR) code or similar 
mechanism to additional information relevant to 
the consumer, which shall include— 
(i) the complete information described 
in subparagraph (A) regarding the partici-
pating article of apparel; 
(ii) the complete information provided 
under subsection (c)(1) regarding the par-
ticipating article of apparel; 
(iii) the database established under 
subsection (d); and 
(iv) such other information as the Ad-
ministrator determines to be relevant to 
the consumer; 
(7) if the participant is the manufacturer of the 
participating article of apparel, and not the retail es-
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tablishment selling the participating article of ap-
parel to the end consumer, this fact shall be made 
clear on the apparel sustainability label; 
(8) if requested by a participant, the informa-
tion pertaining to the participating article of apparel 
that is conveyed under paragraph (6)(A) shall be di-
vided into— 
(A) information identified under clauses (i) 
through (v) of paragraph (6)(A), for which the 
participant shall be responsible for reporting; 
and 
(B) information identified under clauses 
(vi) through (ix) of paragraph (6)(A), for which 
the Administrator shall be responsible for esti-
mating on the basis of the typical use of the 
participating article of apparel; 
(9) the distinction between the sources of infor-
mation referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
paragraph (8) shall be made clear on the apparel 
sustainability label; 
(10) no information or imagery shall be in-
cluded on the apparel sustainability label that has 
not been specified by the Administrator pursuant to 
paragraphs (5) and (6); 
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(11) the Administrator shall establish the meth-
od by which the information included on the apparel 
sustainability 
label 
shall 
be 
verified, 
which 
verification shall— 
(A) be conducted in accordance with uni-
form standards for the collection and analysis 
of the information for all participating articles 
of apparel; 
(B) require the use of the best available 
scientific information; 
(C) specify the requirements for entities to 
be authorized to measure, monitor, verify, and 
report the information; 
(D) be informed by the established inter-
national standards for carbon accounting for 
product life cycle assessment, including— 
(i) the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 
standards of the International Organiza-
tion for Standardization; and 
(ii) protocols established under the 
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol program 
of the World Business Council for Sustain-
able Development and the World Resources 
Institute, including— 
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(I) the GHG Protocol for Prod-
uct Accounting and Reporting; and 
(II) Publicly Available Specifica-
tion 2050; and 
(E) be informed by and generally align 
with the current best practices for validating 
such information in the apparel industry; 
(12) in establishing the requirements described 
in paragraphs (5), (6), and (10), the Adminis-
trator— 
(A) shall consult with an expert advisory 
panel composed of apparel industry stake-
holders; and 
(B) may consult with such panel either— 
(i) by establishing a Federal advisory 
committee under chapter 10 of part I of 
title 5, United States Code (commonly re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Federal Advisory Com-
mittee Act’’); or 
(ii) through a negotiated rulemaking 
under subchapter III of part I of title 5, 
United States Code (commonly referred to 
as the ‘‘Negotiated Rulemaking Act’’); 
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(13) the Administrator shall establish a pro-
gram by which entities shall be certified to perform 
the activities under paragraph (11)(C); 
(14) beginning 7 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the 
Administrator shall— 
(A) publish a report on the effectiveness, 
as determined by the Administrator, of the la-
beling program in achieving objectives, includ-
ing such effectiveness in— 
(i) providing consumers information 
that consumers find useful; and 
(ii) reducing the greenhouse gas emis-
sions associated with apparel throughout 
the full life cycle as described in paragraph 
(6)(A); 
(B) review and revise the regulations under 
this section to increase such effectiveness, as 
determined by the Administrator, of the label-
ing program with respect to the two objectives 
listed in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph 
(A); and 
(C) report to the Congress any rec-
ommendations for amendments to this section 
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that, in the determination of the Administrator, 
would improve such effectiveness; and 
(15) the Administrator shall provide technical 
assistance, including through consultants, in report-
ing information as required in accordance with the 
labeling program, otherwise participating in the la-
beling program, and reducing greenhouse gas emis-
sions, to— 
(A) participants; 
(B) entities seeking to become partici-
pants; and 
(C) entities seeking to become certified 
under paragraph (13). 
(c) VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator shall 
carry out a program under which a participant may 
agree to— 
(A) a voluntary commitment to reduce the 
total 
greenhouse 
gas 
emissions 
released 
throughout the full life cycle of participating ar-
ticles of apparel and their input materials, as 
described in subsection (b)(6)(A); and 
(B) make publicly available, including on 
the participant’s website, sustainability infor-
mation pertaining to the participant or the par-
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ticipating article of apparel that is determined 
by the Administrator to be based on the best 
available scientific information. 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall establish the program required by para-
graph (1). 
(3) 
ENCOURAGEMENT; 
TECHNICAL
ASSIST-
ANCE.—The Administrator shall encourage partici-
pants, and provide technical assistance to partici-
pants, to agree to voluntary commitments under this 
subsection. 
(4) NO MANDATE.— This subsection does not 
authorize the Administrator to impose any mandate. 
(d) DATABASE.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall es-
tablish a database to provide easy access to consumers and 
apparel industry stakeholders to information pertaining to 
the labeling program, including— 
(1) explanations of the objectives and the meth-
odologies of the Administrator in establishing the re-
quirements described in subsection (b); 
(2) the information described in subsection 
(b)(6) with respect to each participating article of 
apparel; 
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(3) the voluntary commitments of each partici-
pant as reported under subsection (c); and 
(4) any additional available information on the 
sustainability of apparel that the Administrator de-
termines to be— 
(A) useful to the consumer and apparel in-
dustry stakeholders; and 
(B) based on the best scientifically avail-
able information. 
(e) CONSUMER OUTREACH.— 
(1) PROGRAM.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall establish a program to inform consumers about 
the labeling program. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The consumer outreach 
program established under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) provide retail apparel establishments 
educational materials and other information to 
be conveyed to consumers regarding the label-
ing program; 
(B) provide technical assistance to retail 
apparel establishments regarding the labeling 
program and the materials and information de-
scribed in subparagraph (A); and 
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(C) reach the public through a wide range 
of means, including public service announce-
ments and advertising. 
(f) PENALTIES FOR FRAUDULENT USE OF LABEL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any person that violates a 
requirement of this section shall forfeit and pay to 
the United States a civil penalty of not more than 
$10,000 for each such violation. 
(2) SEPARATE
VIOLATIONS.—Each separate 
violation of a requirement of this section shall be a 
separate offense, except that in a case of a violation 
through continuing failure to obey or neglect to obey 
an order by the Administrator under this section, 
each day of continuance of such failure or neglect 
shall be deemed a separate offense. 
(3) EQUITABLE
RELIEF.—In a civil action 
brought under this section, the United States dis-
trict courts are empowered to grant mandatory in-
junctions and such other equitable relief as such 
courts deem appropriate. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPAREL INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS.—The 
term ‘‘apparel industry stakeholders’’ means— 
(A) suppliers and vendors of apparel man-
ufacturers; 
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(B) apparel manufacturers; 
(C) retail apparel establishments; 
(D) entities that measure, monitor, verify, 
and report information described under sub-
section (b)(6); 
(E) institutions of higher education; 
(F) consumer organizations; and 
(G) other experts, as determined by the 
Administrator. 
(2) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 
gas’’ includes each of the following: 
(A) Carbon dioxide. 
(B) Methane. 
(C) Nitrous oxide. 
(D) Sulfur hexafluoride. 
(E) Any hydrofluorocarbon. 
(F) Any perfluorocarbon. 
(G) Nitrogen trifluoride. 
(H) Any fully fluorinated linear, branched, 
or cyclic— 
(i) alkane; 
(ii) ether; 
(iii) tertiary amine; or 
(iv) aminoether. 
(I) Any perfluoropolyether. 
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(J) Any hydrofluoropolyether. 
(K) Any other fluorocarbon, except for a 
fluorocarbon with a vapor pressure of less than 
1 mm of Hg absolute at 25 degrees Celsius. 
(3) GREENHOUSE
GAS
EMISSION.—The term 
‘‘greenhouse gas emission’’ means the release of a 
greenhouse gas into the ambient air. 
(4) RETAIL
APPAREL
ESTABLISHMENT.—The 
term ‘‘retail apparel establishment’’ means a person 
that sells an article of apparel to a consumer. 
Æ 
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