When it comes to textiles like clothing, bedding, and other woven fiber items, there has been a shift away from valuing durability and repairability to throw-away and convenience. With this increase in production rate, consumers are purchasing more items but are keeping material goods for a shorter amount of time. These trends in clothing production and disposal have negative environmental and societal impacts. The good news it that everyone uses textiles, and together we can take action to reduce the volume of textiles that end up as waste to protect the environment, support people in need, and keep valuable materials out of the waste stream.
Every year, New York State residents and businesses throw away almost 1.4 billion pounds of textiles, including clothing, footwear, belts, hats, handbags, drapes, towels, sheets and other linens that could be reused or recycled.
In the United States, textile waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams with the average person throwing away 81 lbs of clothing each year. While we recycle around 15% of post-consumer textiles, that means 85% of our used clothing and other textiles are ending up as waste in landfills and waste combustion facilities, when the majority of these materials can be reused or recycled providing social, environmental, and economic benefits.
To counter the effects of fast fashion and throwaway culture, alternatives around reuse, repair, and durability are increasing in popularity. The secondhand market for textiles has been growing rapidly and there are new outlets like online consignment shops and reused gear shops for outerwear/gear, etc.
Benefits of Textile Reuse and Recycling
Environmental benefits:
- Decreases the amount of valuable materials going to landfills and waste combustion facilities.
- Reduces greenhouse gases; greenhouse gas emissions from textile production total 1.2 billion metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent, more than emissions from international flights and maritime shipping combined.
- Saves natural resources, including water and petroleum; and
- Reduces toxins from pesticides, herbicides, dyes and other harsh chemicals used in textile production.
Economic benefits:
- Textile reuse and recycling creates jobs! The potential market value of all these discarded materials is almost $130 million, with over 1,000 jobs that would be created across New York state if these materials were recovered for reuse and recycling instead of being thrown away.
- Keeping used textiles out of the trash reduces disposal costs for local governments, businesses and residents.
- Allows valuable materials to remain in the supply chain to create sustainable products
More information on textile recycling can be found on the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles website.
Donatable Items
It is estimated that 95% of all used clothing, footwear, and other household textiles such as sheets, towels, curtains, and pillowcases can be reused or recycled.
Even if items are torn… stained… are missing buttons… have broken zippers, etc., they can still be recycled. As long as the items are clean, dry and free of oil/grease and odors (not stained with solvents such as gasoline) many textiles can be dropped off at collection locations to be recycled.
Even if items are stained and torn items of any style, age or, condition can be donated as long as they are dry and free of odors.
