3 Ways to Recycle Old Clothes
In with the new means out with the old. And while I love seeing space in my closet and new clothes I’m excited to wear, I don’t like the idea of my items ending up in a landfill. Textile waste is on the rise at an alarming rate, and I don’t want to add to it. According to earth.org, the average US consumer throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing per year. The world produces 92 million tons of textile waste per year. And do you know what happens to that waste? Yep, it ends up in landfills.
But there is some good news. Textile waste isn’t the only thing on the rise, textile recycling programs are on the rise too. Keep reading for several ways to recycle used clothing.
1) SPECIALTY PROGRAMS
The Blue Jeans Go Green program collects cotton denim so that it can be recycled back to its original fiber state and transformed into something new. What’s really cool about the program is that there are many ways to recycle your denim. You can drop off your denim at a participating retailer or event, you can mail in your denim. You can even organize a campus or community denim drive.
2) RETAILERS WITH RECYCLING PROGRAMS
Many popular retailers have recycling programs and accept gently used clothing. Many of them even give store credits or discounts for recycling. Some of my favorite programs are below.
H&M - How it works: Stop by any H&M location and drop of your unwanted clothes or textiles. They can be in any condition and any brand. They will take your old clothes and recycle them, and in exchange, you’ll get a discount coupon to use towards your next purchase.
Madewell - How it works: Bring in any pair of old jeans (the brand doesn't matter) to be recycled, and Madewell will give you $20 off a new pair.
GAP - How it works: In partnership with ThredUp, Gap collects gently used clothing, shoes and accessories. ThredUp resells the items, and you earn Gap shopping credit in return. You can either go into a Gap store for a free “Clean Out Kit” or print a label here. ThredUp then resells those items, and in exchange, you earn Gap shopping credit.
Universal Standard - How it works: Universal Standard’s “Reset, Recycle, Refresh” program will take your old, used clothes and recycle them into new materials. They will give you a $25 credit for each piece you recycle (up to $100). Order a prelabeled recycling bag, fill it with 1-4 pieces of old clothing, mail it in, and get your credit. It’s that easy.
The North Face - How it works: Just drop off your clothes and footwear to a store and receive a $10 store credit. Items either be resold, donated, or recycled.
Hanky Panky - Create a Hanky Panky Rewards account. Request a shipping label. Pack at least 4 recyclable items in the packaging of your choosing. Drop at your nearest USPS.
3. RESELL STORES
Last but not least, did you know that some major resell shops like Goodwill and The Salvation Army recycle clothes. Keep in mind, that they are resellers. So ideally, your donations should be items that are in good shape, but if clothing items don’t sell, they do get recycled.
Photo from Soma
