I know I’ve talked about donating or recycling used clothing on the blog before, but purging always lends to me thinking about it again, and thinking about it means that I feel the need to share with you.
Remember that video I posted at the beginning of the year? The one that showed the mountains of clothing we toss aside each year that end up in India to be unraveled and reused?
Well, I stumbled onto an article on Huffington Post that gave the alternative to NOT donating clothing and instead just tossing them. Did you know that “the average American will toss out 81 pounds of clothing this year” alone?
That is INSANE, right? I’m not talking they will donate that amount–that is the amount of estimated clothing garbage. Straight into the landfills. The garbage results from people who either think their clothing is not in usable condition or people who just don’t feel like dropping it off somewhere. Now, let me throw some more numbers at you from the article: Second-hand stores create about 100,000 jobs and “creates over $1 billion in wages in the U.S. alone.” It is estimated that the loss from un-donated goods is right around $88 billion. I seriously had no idea that the second-hand stores played such a huge role in our economy, did you?!
While I know I personally don’t have 81 pounds a year to donate and/or throw-away, I can honestly say that there was a time in my life I might have between the kids, the HH and myself. These days, even though the amounts are smaller, I personally prefer to donate our clothes to local homeless and women’s shelters. In the event that they are totally unusable, I usually just toss them into the HH’s rag bin. For 100% cotton, I used to shred them {the smaller the better} and toss them into the compost pile, but there are plenty of organizations that will take them, no matter the condition {The Goodwill, and even H&M has a program}.
What do YOU do with clothing you no longer use? Do you ever toss the un-usables?
~Mavis
Alisha@FamilyTravelOnAShoestring.com says
We always donate clothing we no longer use. I knew it helped people and provided jobs but I had no idea that it was a 1 billion dollar business. I love that recycling things has so many benefits!
Kristina says
Unusable/ ruined pieces go into the rag bin in my husband’s shop. He is a farmer, so when he is done with a piece of clothing it is DONE, and everything but dress pants make it into work clothes rotation. My cast offs get run past my daughters first then off to the Community Hospice thrift shop.
Linda says
The only clothing I’ve ever thrown away is underwear. But since they are cotton I guess I should be throwing them in the Goodwill pile too.
Mavis says
I just can’t seem to donate underwear!
Brianna says
I donate, toss, or sell clothing depending on the condition of brand. I purposely will mend or fix and item before donating it, since I know they would toss it with a missing button or someone else would toss it after they buy it because the seam has unraveled a bit. I also do the same it it has been altered, I will unalter it. I toss undergarments, but I recently learned bundling them together and putting them in a ‘free’ bin at my last garage sale that someone was thrilled to get them. They were my daughters outgrown 2T panties and a few nursing bras. I try to avoid tossing clothes. Any solutions for kids shoes? I’m always tossing a pair away every few weeks and I feel bad.
Shari says
I always shop goodwill first for buttons! I knit and crochet baby clothes. A shirt with 7 to 10 nice buttons is enough for a sweater/bootie set . At $3 each, they’re less expensive than a card of buttons at the fabric store these days. I have bought shirts with missing buttons, as long they had the number that I needed.
Starbeamer says
I rarely have good, usable clothing to donate because I use it until it is unusable. The few items that shrink in the wash or just don’t fit right get offered to close friends and then donated to my local thrift store. Shoes get the same treatment.
Perhaps I am lucky (or unlucky) because I hate shopping for clothes because it is hard to find ones that fit, so I have an incentive to make my clothes work rather than toss them when they get holes and stains in them.
Shari says
As my hubby is an accountant employed by goodwill industries, we donate as much as possible. They really do good work for folks who would otherwise be considered unemployable. Our t-shirts that are too ragged or stained for donation are cut up for my daughter and me to use as rags. We use them to take off makeup, wash windows/mirrors, dust, pretty much anything you would use a paper towel for. I wash and reuse many times. Always dried on the line though, not using 220 volts for those!
Melanie says
I use thredUP.COM I have sold them some of my clothes (I chose store credit instead of cash) and I have also purchased sweaters, tops, & dresses from them. All have been in top shape and I’m very happy with everything I’ve bought through them. I have been able to get luxury brand items that I never would have if not for this site. I like the idea that clothing that is too big/too small, a bad color choice, or just never fit right can be of use to someone else, and also creates jobs in the process.
Mavis says
Great points. I’ve heard great things about that company as well!
Andrea says
I sort clothing to be discarded into items that could be used by homeless people, such as clean T-shirts and sweatpants, and items that are not practical for homeless people, such a silver bejeweled spiked heeled sandals. I put the items for the homeless people into a box marked “FREE FOR HOMELESS, PLEASE SHARE” walk it to a nearby park where a weekly dinner is held for them. They usually can’t wash their clothes and will discard them when they are too dirty. So, something clean and decent is welcome. I also include partly used bottles of shampoo, sunscreen, lotion, etc. if I’m not using them up and prefer another type. A few bottles of frozen water is much appreciated by them as well on hot days. They can cool off holding them and then drink the water as it melts. For items that aren’t appropriate for homeless people, I sell them on a local Facebook exchange group for a bit more than yard sale prices as it’s more trouble to do it that way, but everything gets purchased. I put the money toward replacing something I have worn out and loved, since I know I’ll use it up again.
Cheri says
This reminds me of an Australian charity I recently heard of. A group of people has developed a way to put a working washer and dryer in a van. They go around to homeless people and wash their clothes for them in the van. Pretty cool!
Emily E. says
Andrea, you make a wonderful point in your post regarding donating appropriate clothing items to the most logical recipients. Seriously, someone on their feet traveling/walking to shelters and for community dinners probably won’t appreciate bejeweled stilettos. Items have a better chance of being reused if they go to appropriate recipients. I often check with the local homeless shelter and domestic violence shelter to see what items are in need to save them having to sort and discard unusable clothing/items.
Mavis says
This is a great idea, Andrea!
carolyn says
Our city has a collection bin for textiles, the items can even be stained – though they don’t want anything moldy.
When an item becomes unwearable (I don’t donate rags to charities!), it goes into the textile bin. I feel so much better about this.
DeeAnna says
I volunteer at a non-profit thrift store and I swear to you, people in my town must all be running naked cuz we get more clothing donations than anything else. About half are re-donated to ARC because they are in such shabby shape we can’t sell them or give them away and they pay us by the pound to repurpose.
Susan says
Hi Mavis, I loved this article but it made me chuckle. I usually donate our clothing to different charities but haven’t done so in a while and it shows. My closet definitely has 80 plus pounds of clothing to donate and I’m guessing maybe more like 1,000 or so pounds (only slightly exaggerating.) Do you have a visual yet? My husband offered to hire someone to come over and help me. Thank you for the kick in the pants. You are inspiring in many ways.
Mavis says
Oh man! Someone is going be be a very grateful recipient of that kick in the pants. Ha!
bobbi dougherty says
IF it is usable, I donate it. If not, I rip off any buttons or zippers and put those in my sewing stash.
Cheri says
I used to give away clothes I simply got tired of, but now I don’t do that very often. I usually wear them until I have a compelling reason to get rid of it, because my wardrobe isn’t very big. If it would make a good rag and I need more, I will cut it up and add it to my rag collection. Or I take things to thrift stores, or I bundle the unusables into bags and label the bag “RAGS.” These can be recycled as new textiles by certain companies. I drop these off at places that will receive them. It’s unbelievable, actually, how many rags I have donated instead of throwing away. Shoes are trickier. We have to throw away unusables, although I’ve heard that there are shoe charities that will take even some of these and recycle the materials. For instance, tennis shoe rubber is recycled by some companies into new items.
Ani says
All mine go into my yard sale once a year. What doesn’t sell goes to the local thrift shop. I have some boots & shoes that I’ll take to a consignment shop.
Debbie N. says
I either donate or use as rags. Once in a while I will have a yard sale. I just can’t see to throw something away someone can use.
Cynthia H says
My local resale shop sends any unwearable clothing to a place that somehow makes it work for people in the third world.
Leslie says
I was just reading about the amount of microscopic fibers from polar fleece and similar synthetics making their way from the laundry, through the water treatment system, into the rivers and ocean, and into sea like, like shrimp. Which end up in our bellies, or the bellies of another fish which we will eventually eat. I think you’ll find this interesting: https://youtu.be/b8OZ_6YwTUE?t=10
Mavis says
That is CRAZY!
Julia says
I donate to our local Goodwill or Community Aid, pass on my son’s outgrown clothes to a friend’s son, cut up t-shirts to use as rags, use some for bedding for rabbits, and only throw things out if they don’t fit in any of the above category. I also try to on,y buy what we need, and most if that is second hand. But I did notice that my son has more t-shirts then he will ever wear so it is time to sort through them! I also save some pieces to use in crafts.
L. bryant says
With five kids we were the hand me down poster children. I donated all the usable and nice looking kids clothes and then their teenage clothes to the Department of family and children’s services. They have children every week who are removed from homes and have NOTHING to wear.
We also donate useable and in good condition clothes to the local Adult services with learning disabilities. Many of these adults do not have family in their lives and the office provides clothes and shoes for them at no cost this way.
We also collect any good, useable, and working luggage as well. (This became an ongoing project that we still do.) I tell friends, and mention it at garage sales, church, rummage sales, etc. sales what they can do with these items if they are not sold.)
We cared for a 10 year old child who lived up the street. We realized that all his possessions were in a trash bag. The social worker told us that so many children in this situation view themselves as garbage because all they own is in a garbage bag. When they are given a piece of luggage for their things it helps them feel ownership in their lives.
I recently found out that the animal control office can use certain types of sweaters, old towels and sheets (stains are welcome) for their animals. They provide bedding and comfort items during their stay.
If any clothes cant make the cut for the rag bag then all the buttons, zippers, back pockets of jeans, and any other embellishments are removed. Every fall we have a small bond fire and cook out and we use the clothing (old underwear too ) rolled up in the bond fire. The ashes are then spread on the garden.
Tennis shoes (only) can be donated to any Nike store and they will recycle them into playground material. Our county hosts 2 events during the year that will allow you to drop off any old shoes for recycling.
In the last 20 years I cannot think of any clothes or shoes that we have had to throw away!!
Mavis says
So many awesome ideas!
Donna in VA says
I sew a lot of my own clothing and don’t think it’s useful to donate it. While it fits me, there are no size tags/washing instructions etc. I save buttons, zippers, hem tapes, etc. for re-use. Woven stuff that may be used in quilting is salvaged. Even knits in large pieces (body of old T-shirts) that can be used for the quilt padding is saved, turned into sleeping pads for the animal shelters, potholders, etc. Anything that is stained but soft can be used for cleaning rags or for polishing silver (sort of a hobby) and then disposed. My veterinarian office (or animal shelter) is grateful for old towels.