Renee, Is there any place that recycles fabric? We reuse old t-shirts, socks, etc. for rags but some things aren’t suitable for using that way and it doesn’t seem right throwing away fabric!
Thanks, Lori
Renee, I have been cleaning out our house. I have a bunch of clothes that are not up to Goodwill standards. I would like to recycle them as rags. Can you both tell me what happens to stuff that doesn’t make the sale rack at Goodwill, do they recycle it? If not, is there a place I can take my stuff?
Thanks!
Deborah
Lori, Deborah, and the 20+ others who are wondering the same thing,
In 2011, Goodwill diverted 12.5 million lbs. of goods and materials from landfills through their recycling operations.
Here’s the answer to the question that so many of us ask as we clean out our drawers, straight from the source:
“Goodwill gladly accepts all clothing donations, no matter the condition. Stewardship is one of our basic principles and we take pride in putting the useful to use. If items are too worn to be sold in a store, Goodwill will sell through alternative markets. This allows us to generate some revenue on most donations and reduces our costs to landfills.”
You can also support My Sister’s Place by donating old clothing. I don’t really have a sister – this is actually a local nonprofit that repurposes and recycles fabric and textiles while mentoring women and single mothers. I love that their goal is to have curbside collections and that they host community collection drives (hint, hint – if you have a lot of clothing to get rid of, maybe you should organize a drive for your neighborhood or community).
If you’ve accumulated more stuff than is manageable by yourself, here’s an option that sounds intriguing: College Hunks Hauling Junk. They’ll haul away your boxes and bags of old clothes, as well as just about anything else. Their web site claims that Hunks donate or recycle more than 70 percent of their junk, and a quick call confirmed their relationship with Goodwill. That’s a handsome deal.
Piece out,
Renee
