Clothing: Too Dirty to Donate?

As we sort through our clothes and find ones we no longer need to keep, we may find some that are unfit for donating for thrift shop resale or charity reuse; they are torn, stained, etc. Many organizations make it clear that they only want "gently worn" items.

But there are some good options for disposing of these clothes; most do not need to go to landfill.

1. Animal shelters might be able to use these items as bedding; check with your local shelter.

2. Do you know someone who's a quilter? He or she may want the unsoiled portions of your garments.

3. If you are in the UK, textile recycling seems to be well-established, and there are many on-line resources to help you, including:
- Recycle Now: textiles
- Textile recycling information sheet
- Salvation Army: find a clothing bank

4. In the USA, the Salvation Army is also quite involved with textile recycling. Please do not give them wet or excessively stained clothing; if the clothing they sell for recycling is not of good quality, the price they get for it goes down. One location said it's helpful when the bag of clothing is labeled FOR BALING.

Want to read more? See the information provided by:
- Benny Points
- The California Integrated Waste Management Board
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

[image: logo of the Council for Textile Recycling]