If you’ve ever been inside of a Goodwill or other donation-based thrift/charity shop, chances are that you’ve seen an abundance of old sorority shirts, sports team jerseys, 5k race shirts, and other items that no one seems to want.
Maybe you’ve got a untouched pile of these shirts in the back of your closet. If you’ve been wondering what to do with those clothes, you’re in luck! Today I’m going to be providing y’all with some amazing organizations and resources that you can use to donate your unwearable clothes. Keep reading to check it out!
Textile Waste Facts
- The average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing per year.
- 95% or worn or torn textiles can be recycled…. However, only 15% gets donated or recycled (Vox, 2016).
- Approximately 3-4 lbs of CO2 are saved for every pound of clothing that is saved from a landfill. (PlanetAid.org)
- The amount of post-consumer textile waste that ended up in landfills grew by 40% between 1999-2009 (EcoSalon.com)
Of the 15% that gets donated to thrift stores, only around 20% of items get purchased. The rest either gets sent to landfills, textile recycling plants, or the Global South, where street vendors sell used clothes from Western countries for a paltry price.
In part because of this huge disparity in the amount of clothes that thrift stores get versus the amount of clothes that are bought from thrift stores, I am a huge advocate for thrifting.
(P.S. – If you struggle with thrifting and get overwhelmed by the abundance of clothes at the thrift store, let me help ya out! Checkout my affordable Sustainable Style Consulting services!)
There is an abundance of clothes in existence – so buying clothes that are already in existence rather than purchasing new ones that require new resource extraction and production is undoubtedly better for the earth (and its people).
BUT- the question remains…. Who is going to want to buy your crusty old srat shirt from your 2008 college days?! The answer is, likely, no one. So what should you do with that shirt and the tons more you’ve got folded in the back of your closet? Here’s a list of places and ways you can repurpose your clothes that no one wants.
Textile Recycling - National
- Simply Recycling (request a bag online)
- Council for Textile Recycling Online Database
- Checkout textile donation/recycling locations near you through CTR’s online database.
- Planet Aid offers textile recycling bins around the Northern states. Check out their locations here.
- The American Textile Recycling Service offers donation bins to help facilitate the recycling process. Contact them here to find out where your nearest location is.
- Check out Donation Town’s database of nonprofits around the country that will come and collect your used clothing from you!
- Through the North Face Clothes the Loop program, you can donate used clothing and shoes from any brand at certain locations. Check out the locations that offer this here!
Textile Recycling- Regional
- Do a Quick Google Search for: Textile Recycling Near Me
- SMART bins (Secondary Materials and Recycling Textiles), are all over the country. Check out their website for a map of available drop off spots to find places near you.
- Call your local animal shelter to see if they have any needs for rags/ t-shirts… they are often used to fill up cages or for cleaning
Repurposing Ideas
- Cleaning Rags
- This is one of my favorite and most useful repurposing hacks. Wash any worn out piece of clothing (preferably cotton based) and cut it up into smaller pieces that are rag- sized. Use these rags instead of paper towels to clean up around the house or even for hand towels!
- Make a Memory Quilt with Old Shirts!
- Moms love this idea as a high school graduation gift but there are no rules saying quilts are exclusive to moms!
- Shred It
- Shred your used textiles for insulation or stuffing for pillows or DIY stuffed animals.
If you have any ideas for other organizations, textile collectors, or repurposing solutions, please do drop them in the comments! Hope this was helpful and sending all the love to all your old tees that are now going to find a new home 🙂