Unwanted old clothes are causing big problems

Of course the best form of recycling is re-use or repair, but beyond that, what we do with our unwanted old clothes is causing big problems.  Your rubbish bin is the last place textile waste should go. Even natural fibres will take a long time to biodegrade in landfill, and synthetics will take hundreds and hundreds of years to break down, all while releasing harmful carbon emissions.

Ask yourself:

Does it really need to be thrown out, or can it still serve a purpose as a rag?

Research social enterprises or repair shops in your area that can use discarded textiles and remember that 100% organic cotton items are compostable. 

Ask your local council about options:

Use your voice! Contact your council and advocate for local textile recycling options. Bathurst Regional Council in NSW recently offered a clothing recycling trial and managed to collect and recycle a whopping 1,600kg of textiles in just one month!

Damaged/Unsaleable Clothing:

Retailers including H&M and Zara have clothing bins at their stores that accept unwanted textiles (from any brand, in any condition). Upparel will collect your unwanted clothes, shoes and linen for a small fee and sort them for you. 

Bedlinen and towels:

Sheridan has a program that ensures old sheets and towels (any brand!) are diverted from landfill and sent to partnering factories to be made into recycled yarn that is repurposed into new products. There is now a recycling collection point in all Sheridan Boutique and Outlet stores.

Bedding for animals:

Check in with local animal shelters, wildlife rescue organisations and vets – they often appreciate clean towels and bedding.

Rags for Mechanics:

Old towels, sheets and other textiles can sometimes be given to mechanics who can use them as rags.

Boomerang Bags:

is a is a global, grassroots movement that transforms unwanted textiles including doona covers and pillowcases into reusable bags to replace plastic bags. They then distribute these bags locally – to schools, businesses, events and more. There are over 500 BB communities in Australia (and 1140 worldwide!). Find one near you to start donating (or, even start your own community!).