Donate Your Old Blanket and Pillows to the Animal Shelter
I have lived in six different apartments in New York, and over the course of several moves I am often confronted with what I should leave behind, such as old clothes or unused electronics. But what exactly should I do with pillows that have lost their cushioning, or that old ripped blanket that was gathering dust in my closet?
Pillows and blankets are consideredhome textiles such as curtains, drapes, or rugs. You usually cannot dispose of them through your curbside recycling program (although you can consult your own program by doing an online search to be sure).
If you are interested in the processing of quilt for the production of new products, such as packing for carpets , you can perform a search on the processing of linen cloth with the help of radar Earth911 or find the nearest facility for processing of textiles on the Internet. However, pillows are generally not easy to recycle. You may be able to find a product that accepts foam cushions using a locator, but for hygiene reasons, you cannot transfer them to most second-hand bookstores. (However, giving them away is a viable option if you want to host them on sites like FreeCycle or even Craigslist.)
But if you want to save some time and even help some dogs and cats with the process, you should contact your local animal shelter and ask if you can leave the used bedding. Why? Shelters often accept your spare blankets or pillows as animal bedding. This is the perfect compromise and you can help the animals feel a little more comfortable in unknown conditions.
If you’re curious, here are some helpful tips from the same Reddit thread on the topic:
- Wash them before donating.
- Don’t donate bedding with holes.
- Do not donate torn bedding with hanging ropes and padding.
- If you can, cut the large blanket into smaller ones (probably so more animals will benefit from your donation).
And, as it needs to be repeated, check with your shelter if they accept your donated bedding before returning. As Redditor u / KimKimMRW mentioned , you don’t want to flood the hideout with unnecessary product. The need for blankets and pillows varies from shelter to shelter based on demand, so a quick call can save both of you time.