Textile Recycling: A Crucial Step Towards Environmental Conservation
In the United States, about 85% of our clothing and textiles are disposed of as trash and end up in clothing landfills, while only 15% are donated or recycled. In the past 20 years, the amount of trashed clothes Americans throw away each year has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons, or a startling 80 pounds per person. Despite the fact that clothing and other textiles are reused and recycled at low rates, nearly 95% of these materials are suitable for reuse and recycling, highlighting the need for better textile waste solutions and increased awareness of what to do with old clothes.
Producing the clothing we wear consumes an incredible amount of natural resources and contributes significantly to the climate crisis. The $2.5 trillion fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is also the second-biggest global consumer of water. Producing a single pair of jeans consumes about 7,500 liters of water.
By keeping used clothing and other textiles out of landfills, we can limit the negative impacts of what we wear, reduce the need to create more clothes landfill space, help provide affordable clothing to those in need, and encourage more sustainable systems for managing textile waste.
In this article, we have put together tips for keeping your used clothing and textiles out of the trash:
Donate or sell unwanted clothing and textiles for reuse and textile recycling.
There are many options for donating and selling used clothing and textiles to prevent them from becoming trash. Some tips include:
- Sell your gently-used clothing, accessories, and shoes on an online resale marketplace. Platforms like Poshmark, Stitch Fix, and thredUP help you keep your clothing and accessories out of the trash, recoup some of the money you spent on the items, and give them new life with a new owner.
- Check with your favorite local charity or thrift store about collection locations to see where you can drop-off your used textiles. Your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, Savers, or other thrift stores will recycle old clothes and textiles that they are not able to sell in their stores. Consider donating towels, blankets, and other used fabric to a local animal shelter to use for bedding and cleaning rags.
- Partner with a local organization that can reuse or creatively repurpose old clothes. Check with local sustainability, arts, and workforce development organizations to see if they accept garment donations for reuse or repurposing projects. Greening Greenfield Massachusetts, an organization that accepts donations of t-shirts to repurpose into bags with sewing help from a local senior center and 4H group, is a great example.
- Ask your city or town if they have a textile recycling program. Some municipalities offer these programs to residents, businesses, schools, and nonprofits. Any clothing, household textile, or commercial linen textile can typically be recycled as long as it is dry and has no odor. Even torn, stained, or worn out textiles can be recycled.
- See if there are any local services available to you that offer curbside pick-up of clothing and textiles. Retrievr is one company that offers doorstep pickup of used designer clothing and textiles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
- Look for clothing collection boxes in your neighborhood. Dropping off used textiles at a clothing collection box is a quick and easy way to get rid of unwanted items, but be sure to educate yourself before using one. Find out whether the bin operator is a for-profit or nonprofit organization. You should be able to contact the operator and/or charitable partner. If the area around the bin is clean and well-maintained, that’s a good sign that the bin might have a reputable operator. Review the SMART Collection Bin Code of Conduct to learn more about what to look for in a reputable collection bin operator.
- Recycle obsolete branded textiles. If you are looking for a partner to facilitate responsible textile recycling and upcycling solutions to manage the lifecycle of your defunct branded clothing, contact SwagCycle. We collect and assess your outdated goods, confirm brand guidelines, and offer affordable, ethical solutions for diverting clothing and other materials away from landfills.
Textile waste solutions begin with buying second-hand and durable items.
- Reducing the amount of clothing we buy in the first place is the most powerful choice we can make to minimize the impact of our fashion choices. Try to avoid fast fashion and instead invest in high-quality items and purchase from companies that offer reuse and recycling options for their products. Some brands have started working to keep their products out of landfills by changing how they produce their textiles and by providing better ways for consumers to return them after use. One example is Patagonia, which collects used items, repairs or repurposes them, and then resells them to customers through its Worn Wear program. Reformation, Levi’s, Madewell, H&M, Zara, and North Face also offer textile recycling programs.
- Shop second-hand. Before buying new clothing, check resale options such as thrift stores, vintage stores, other second hand retail outlets, and the online resale platforms mentioned above.
By diverting your trashed clothes from landfills, you actively reduce your environmental footprint while supporting businesses and initiatives dedicated to sustainability. Each garment saved from disposal contributes to building a circular economy, where resources are reused and repurposed rather than discarded. This shift toward responsible consumption not only minimizes waste but also fosters innovation and eco-friendly practices within the fashion industry. Embracing the ethos of reusability and sustainability empowers individuals to make a tangible difference in preserving our planet for future generations. Learn about how SwagCycle can help your company or organization reduce its branded or obsolete textile waste.
FAQs
- What to do with old clothes that are still in good condition?
Donate them to charities, thrift stores, or local shelters so they can be reused by someone in need. - What to do with old clothes that are worn out?
Repurpose them into cleaning rags, craft materials, or check if local recycling programs accept textiles. - Can trashed clothes be recycled?
Yes, many textile recycling programs accept trashed clothes, even if they’re torn or stained, and turn them into insulation or industrial rags. - How to reduce the number of trashed clothes?
Buy quality items, repair when possible, and donate or upcycle instead of throwing clothes away. - What are some effective textile waste solutions?
Solutions include recycling fabrics, donating reusable garments, upcycling materials, and reducing consumption through sustainable fashion choices. - Why are textile waste solutions important?
They help reduce landfill waste, conserve resources, and lower the environmental impact of the fashion industry. - What is a clothing landfill?
A clothing landfill is a site where discarded garments and textiles are dumped, often contributing to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. - How can we reduce clothing landfill waste?
Donate, recycle, or upcycle unwanted garments and support brands with sustainable practices.