Recycling Articles : Recycling Clothes

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There are two main ways to recycle clothes within the UK, either by donating the clothes whole or donating them to somewhere which will recycle the actual textile materials. Abacus tends to donate them to animal shelters and charity shops although you can be sure they are always recycled and well used. Here are some descriptions of how you can personally recycle your clothes.

Most of the larger charities distribute collection bags with a collection date or place recycling bins in easily accessible places near to you. These are both very easy ways to get rid of old clothing. However, be wary of companies that are not registered charities as recently many opportunists have been taking used clothes, claiming to recycle them and then selling them at a profit - always check the “registered charity” number.

If neither of these are convenient for you then it may be possible to donate them to a local church or school jumble sale, to help keep the local community going. Always make sure that clothes are clean and wearable before you donate them in this way. If clothes are ripped or badly stained then there are other ways to recycle them which will be discussed below.

Clothes don’t need to be ironed or pressed before being donated, simply folded. Also, don’t tie the laces of matched shoes together because sometimes they are impossible to untangle! Other textile products such as sheets and linen are always welcome.

Clothes that cannot be sold or repaired can be recycled for the material to be used as new weaving or knitting or other products such as carpet underlay, mattress padding or cushion stuffing. The clothes and scraps you donate will be collected, sorted according to type, colour and grade and then shredded into fibre. This substance, known as “shoddy”, is then used for all of the purposes described above.

This reuse and recycling helps to reduce waste in landfill sites and therefore reduce the clutter of the earth. The ease of this process means that there are always easy opportunities to recycle clothing and textiles. This saves not only wastage and prevents dumping but saves the energy that would be required to produce new items of clothing. Always remember that every little bit we do for the environment helps to protect the future of the earth.

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