Ensure you are doing your best when it comes to recycling and your clothing, Australians incorrectly send $500 million worth of fashion items to landfill each year, 95% of which can be recycled and or reused.
Why recycle your clothes?
– You will reduce landfill
– minimise greenhouse emissions from decomposition.
– Conserve raw material and save on energy and water through production.
– provide affordable clothing for families and individuals in need.
Ways that you can reduce your impact.
– Better quality lasts longer
– Buy sustainable whenever you can, try not to support unsustainable fast fashion supply chains
– Buy for the long term, reduce the need to recycle
– Accessorise to freshen your look
– Layering is key, try to mix it up when you buy to get multiple uses out of each item.
– Plan your shopping trips to avoid impulse buying.
– Swap and borrow, encourage your friends and family to borrow and lend for special occasions rather than buying garments that will only be worn a few times.
– Ensure to follow care instructions and store appropriately so your clothes last longer
– Repair damaged items rather than discard them.
– Keep your wardrobe tidy so it’s easy to see older or forgotten items that can be worn
Reuse when possible
– Community shops, online marketplaces, hand me downs, swap meets and garages sales are all ways to resell or donate your used items.
– Ensure you’re aware of donation store acceptance policies, only drop off in allocated bins and store open hours. Dropping at the door or beside bins is considered illegal dumping.
– Donate to charity stores or second hand clothing shops
– Sell your clothes online through sites like gumtree and eBay
– Look for organisations that repurpose used clothing and footwear to local and international communities, some of these programs often employ the disadvantaged.
– Buy from outlets that run recycling programs, items can be repurposed or resold for rags or other textile by-products
What happens to items that can’t be reused?
If your garments can’t be donated, or resold they may be sold-on as industrial rags, sound absorption and insulation.
Natural fibres can be uses in the garden as weed matting, Look for community gardens and land care groups to donate to.
Only use kerbside bins as a last resort, clothing items cannot be recycled so waste bin or hard rubbish collection only.
