What Can You Do With Clothes You Don’t Want Anymore?
The weather is warming up, and a lot of us are taking stock of our wardrobes for a new year. But, as you work your way through what you have, you might find that some of it doesn’t fit, has a hole or a stain, or isn’t your style anymore.
Almost 70% of textiles in America are sent to landfills, and the amount of clothes made is growing exponentially year over year. The clothing industry is a major source of waste, so what can you do to give your unwanted clothes a second life and keep them out of a landfill?
1) Donate Them to Thrift and Secondhand Stores
A timeless classic- donating old and unwanted clothes to thrift stores can give them a second life with somebody new. Thrift stores are an important part of a lot of communities, both for their role in recycling and their accessibility for people of all incomes.
However, if donations aren’t high quality or in-demand, it’s common practice at a lot of these stores to throw away unwanted inventory. So, if you’re considering donating, it’s always a good idea to inspect your items for things like holes and stains and make sure they’re in relatively good condition. If you wouldn’t buy it, don’t donate it.
2) Give Them to Shelters or Mutual Aid Groups
Shelters for people who are unhoused or victims of domestic violence, as well as local mutual aid groups often take clothes donations. These organizations are a great way to help out members of your community, and can be a better guarantee that your donations will have a legitimate second life.
Check with the shelter or mutual aid group on what they’re looking for before you donate. Depending on the location, season, or the type of group you’re working with, they might only accept certain kinds of items that are in particular demand.
P.S.- If you’re in Los Angeles, Project Ropa is a great place to start!
3) Join Buy Nothing Groups
Buy Nothing groups can often be found on social media sites or dedicated apps in your town or city, where members trade goods instead of money. You can trade clothes, furniture, and really anything you can think of to avoid wasting tons of great things that already exist.
These groups are a particularly great way to find a new home for larger or more expensive items like winter coats, and you can even find things like house plant clippings!
If you’re looking for a buy nothing group near you, start with Facebook or Instagram or check out the Buy Nothing Project!
4) Upcycle or Recycle Them
Even if you no longer wear some of your clothes, they can still be useful in a million different ways! This tip comes in handy when you have items that are damaged, stained, or otherwise wouldn’t be donation-worthy. Just because an item of clothing can’t be worn doesn’t mean it can’t find another purpose.
If you have something that can’t be worn anymore, you could:
Cut it up and turn it into rags for cleaning and dusting
Mend other clothes with fabric scraps
Break out your sewing skills (or learn something new!) and transform it into a new garment
Make cute & easy accessories like headbands or scrunchies
5) Donate or Ship to a Fabric Recycler
If the clothes in question aren’t in particularly good shape or are especially old, you can try a fabric recycler! Only about 15% of textiles in America are recycled in this way, and most people don’t even know it’s an option.
There are drop off locations all across the country, and some Goodwill’s even have bins for this purpose. I highly recommend checking out Earth 911’s recycling search to see if there’s one near you!
