Frequently Asked Questions

What clothing and textile items can be donated?

Clean, dry clothing clothing in any condition
Shoes (keep in pairs Tie shoes together by the laces or use an elastic band)
Undergarments
Socks (keep in pairs)
Outerwear
Hats, Belts, Scarves, and Ties
Handbags, Wallets, Totes, and Backpack
Towels, Bed Linens, Sheets, Comforters and Blankets
Curtains, Drapes and Table Linens
Other secondary materials including Stuffed Animals, toys
Books, tapes, CDs, DVDs

Why should I recycle used clothing and household textiles?

You can reduce the amount of textile products going to landfills Clothing and household textiles make up 4.67% of the waste stream. The used clothing industry makes good affordable clothing available to lower income people around the world. Clothing that is not good enough for reuse, is recycled for use as wiping rags, and reprocessed into products including paper, yarn, insulation, and padding for mattresses and carpets.

Reduces the need to create more landfill space
Reduces pollution created by incinerators
Provides low cost clothing to underprivileged households
Provides low cost clothing to third world countries
Clothing and other textiles can be converted into industrial wiping cloths
Textile materials can be shredded into fibers and reused in the making of other products

Recycling textiles does much more than this. It saves the environment from tons of harsh chemicals, waste products and waste water used in the manufacturing of clothing as well:*

Polyester, the most commonly used manufactured fiber, is made from petroleum in an energy-intensive process that emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and acid gases into the air. The process also uses a large amount of water for cooling.

The manufacturing of nylon emits nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas with a carbon footprint 310 times that of carbon dioxide.

Rayon, derived from wood pulp, often relies on clearing old growth forests to make way for water-hungry eucalyptus trees, from which the fiber is derived.

Cotton, found in most clothing, is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world. It takes one-third of a pound of pesticides to make one t-shirt.

When manufacturing clothes, dyeing requires a hefty amount of water, and its fixatives often flow into rivers and sewers. Also, all “easy care” and “permanent press” cottons are treated with formaldehyde.

*Source: Earth911.com (http://earth911.com/household/clothing-and-textile/facts-about-clothes/

I’ve heard my donated clothing is actually sold instead of being given to poor people. Isn’t this deceptive and unethical?

Recycling is not unethical. If you dropped off your clothing at charity’s staffed location or a box marked with a charity’s name, that group will be using the clothing either by directly giving it to persons in need or by selling it to fund it’s charitable programs.

Doesn’t the used clothing market undermine new clothing businesses in developing countries?

Used clothing sales create jobs and affordable apparel in many lesser developed countries. Many people in these countries cannot afford locally made new clothing. And many people in these countries earn their livelihood by selling used clothing. New clothing businesses in developing countries can make more money producing clothing for export to wealthier countries in Europe and North America.

How can I learn more about what happens to clothing I donate and textile recycling in general?

Read these books:

Travels of a T-shirt by Pietra Rivoli, professor Georgetown University
Salaula: The World of Secondhand Clothing and Zambia by Karen Tranberg Hansen, professor Northwestern University

A short video on Dr. Hawley and her research on textile recycling:
http://syndicate.missouri.edu/tags/recycling

Dr. Hawley’s article on the Economic Impact of Textile and Clothing Recycling
http://www.magnetmail.net/images/clients/KingString/attach/SMARTJanaHawleyREV.pdf

A sample from the book Sustainable Textiles: Life Cycle and the Environmental Impact
http://www.magnetmail.net/images/clients/KingString/attach/
SMARTSubstainableTextilesLifeCycleandSample.pdf