The North Face's newest apparel range, which debuted on March 1, is wholly manufactured in the United States. According to James Rogers, the garment company's sustainability manager, they're created with cotton derived from farms in California and Arizona, spun in the Carolinas, and sewed in Los Angeles facilities. They're also recyclable through composting programs. All over garments are made of cotton and other natural materials sourced from around the world. The quality will vary depending on the fabric used. Synthetic fabrics can be less expensive but are not biodegradable and therefore should not be disposed of in the environment. Natural fabrics such as cotton will decompose if exposed to air and water for a long time. Synthetics may look like natural fibers but they will not biodegrade even after years in landfills. It is important that you do not throw away clothing with plastic tags when you have outgrown your wardrobe; these items cannot be recycled and will end up in landfill sites. Apparel contains a lot of waste. Each year, Americans spend more than $150 billion on clothes, yet only 10% of all discarded textiles are recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or incinerators. This is a serious issue because landfill space is getting scarce and incinerators can emit harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Clothing makes up about one-third of all municipal solid waste and its disposal can be costly.