How to Recycle Old Clothing and Textiles

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Finally the weather is warming up, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and we are ready to put the long winter behind us. Isn’t it funny how the second spring is here we feel the need to clean, declutter, and make room for what’s to come. Maybe that’s just part of human nature. If you are in that stage of life, like me, come along with me as I do a spring closet clean out and recycle old clothing.

Unfortunately, over 85% of items from the textile industry end up in landfills. And 10% of greenhouse gases are from the fashion industry. We live in a society of over consumption. Textile production is out of hand. We are producing way more and wearing way less than we should be.

But through recycling, we can create a circular economy by reprocessing and upcycling existing materials into something new.

Textile recycling is a relatively new concept. Through the recycling process old clothing or textiles like synthetic materials are repurposed into new products like carpet padding, or insulation. With tons of textiles going to landfills in the United States every year, it’s important we find a better solution to this problem.

Today, so many different retail stores have their own recycling / take-back programs. AND you might even receive cash or store credit.

Donating your old clothing isn’t always the best option. Instead, you can recycle it. By recycling your household textiles (bedding, curtains, clothing, towels), you can create a positive impact on the planet.

Donating is a great option, but only if done properly

Thrift stores, like Salvation Army, will not actually sell everything you donate. Rather, they will accept what is in good condition. It has to be good enough so they can resell it.

So what happens to the rest? Majority of the time, it’ll end up in the landfill (which is what we try to avoid in the first place!). I’ve witnessed it firsthand, driving by a local thrift store. Behind the store is a HUGE dumpster full of unwanted clothing… next stop: the landfill.

It takes over 200 years for clothing to decompose in the landfill.

But maybe you do have a few pieces of unwanted clothes that can be donated. Here is a great way to start.

In order to donate, the quality of the piece has to be in a wearable condition. Specifically, no rips or tears, no stains, no broken zippers or missing buttons. If you wouldn’t give it to a friend to wear, don’t donate it.

Simply put, donation centers don’t want your sh*t either.

Here is my advice. The first step is to thoroughly pick through your stuff and sort it into three piles: good, great, and poor. Great being practically new, maybe still has the tags. Good items are items that have been worn, but still have a lot of life left in them. And finally, poor condition, which would be garments that are ripped, stained, missing buttons or zippers.

Now, your first and second pile can absolutely be donated to charitable organizations and local thrift stores. If you are looking to make a few dollars you could even try to sell them. Look into local consignment shops or just for fun, host a clothing swap. Get creative as you strive to give these clothing a second life.

As for your last pile, ask yourself if it’s possible to repair these items and extend their life. Small holes can be sown or patched, zippers and buttons can be replaced and so on. I realize these repairs might not be for the average person. And if you decide those items cannot be repaired, do not donate them. Instead recycle them! (and I don’t mean in the recycling bin).

If you want to give your old clothing a second chance at life (by being turned into secondary materials), here are a bunch of great companies in North America that will recycle old clothing for you.

Recycling clothing can be easy with one of these recycling programs.

This company allows you to buy a bag that can be filled with all your old clothes. You can sleep at night knowing they aren’t ending up in a landfill. They also offer up to a $90 credit per year!

Patagonia has a trade-in program, they accept their own clothing items back (offering up to $100 credit). Perfect for Spring cleaning.

Wear Subset (formerly Knicky) accepts old underwear, socks, bras, and tights. And you will receive a free pair of underwear with purchase!

ForDays – Creators of the Take Back Bag. Similar to Retold Recycling, ForDays offers $20 in Closet Cash with a $20 bag purchase. Fill that bag up and send it off!

ThredUp is an online secondhand clothing store. They give you a chance to do a closet clean out by offering cash or store credit for your used clothing. What they can’t sell, they responsibility recycle. Shop ThredUp and get 45% off with this link.

These companies will send you a bag to fill up with your old clothing with a return label already on the bag. You just need to fill it up and drop it off. It really doesn’t get any simpler.

Start to recycle old clothing today and be part of the solution. With pounds of textiles dumped into the landfill every day, it’s our job as responsible consumers to not contribute to the problem. Lower your carbon footprint as you divert your textiles from the landfill, reducing a host of greenhouse gasses.