How to Keep Old Clothes Away From the Landfill
About once a year, I clean out my wardrobes of unnecessary clothes, be it jeans that no longer fit, T-shirts that I wore in tatters, or a weird dress that seemed like a good idea at the time. but ended up being an exercise in medieval torture. It’s tempting to keep some of these items because they believe they might come in handy someday, but we all know the truth: it’s unlikely, but for now it’s just an extra mess I don’t need.
The main challenge to getting rid of old clothes is to do it in an environmentally sustainable way, as our clothes are responsible for a huge amount of pollution. Textile factories are responsible for about one fifth of all industrial water pollution by using about 20,000 chemicals, many of which are harmful to humans. The textile industry also accounts for about 10% of all global carbon emissions. When it comes time to throw these old clothes away, only about 16% of them are recycled , and the rest are either sent to landfills or incinerated.
So before heading straight to the trash, consider some of these ways to reuse or dispose of your old clothing.
Sell
Clothes are in good condition and relatively new, you can try to sell. This will not only keep your old clothes from being dumped, but it will also give the other person the opportunity to buy used rather than new, and also earn some money on the side.
Some of the more popular online options for selling your old clothes include ThredUp, Depop, Poshmark, and Vinted. If you want to stay local, you can also search for any consignment shops that buy old clothes.
Donate
Selling your old clothes is a good way to make sure they are the most used and also to make some money on the side, but if you have a lot to clean up, it can also take a lot of work. If you don’t have the time or energy for it, consider donating it instead.
There are a few general rules you must follow when donating. First of all, they must be in good condition, free from tears, spots or holes. Wash them before putting them in – preferably with an unscented detergent and do not use fabric softeners. Keep in mind that someone, usually a volunteer, will have to sort. through that old clothing, so make sure whatever you donate is clean and in relatively good condition.
It’s also a good idea to call ahead and ask which organization you’re donating to and donate seasonal items as they don’t always have a lot of storage space for non-seasonal items.
Repurpose
If the garment is too tattered or stained to sell or give away, consider reusing it. When I was a kid, we always had a rag bin at home in which our old tattered clothes were cut into smaller pieces and then used to clean up dirt, dust, pet accidents and spills around the house.
Recycle
Unfortunately, recycling old clothes is not as easy as throwing them in the trash can. However, textiles can be recycled – it is a little more difficult than recycling glass or newspapers. To find textile recycling centers near you, you can use the Earth911 Recycling Locator tool . There are also paid programs like TerraCycle, which offers a ZeroWaste Textile Box where you fill it with old clothes, send it in, and they recycle it for you.