How to Dispose of Old Clothes | Vanish (2024)

FAQs

Can clothes go in the recycling bin? ›

Any unwanted clothing, can be put in clear or white plastic bags and placed on top of or beside your blue wheelie bin for recycling on your recycling collection day. Please tie any pairs of shoes together. Items accepted include clothes, bags, belts, curtains, blankets, towels, odd socks and lingerie.

Charity shops

These are a great place for donating unwanted clothes. They raise lots of money for valuable causes and provide an inexpensive way to buy clothes too. To find your nearest charity shop using an online postcode locator visit the Association of Charity Shops website.

Of all the clothing thrown away across the world 57% is sent to landfill. 25% of global clothing waste is incinerated. Clothes made using synthetic fibres such as polyester and acrylic are responsible for more than 60% of global apparel purchases.

Scrap it. McKenzie's top tip: Never put fabric in the trash (not even holey socks)—it generates greenhouse gases as it decomposes and can leach harmful dyes and chemicals into the soil.

Items that aren't suitable for reuse or donating to charity can be recycled and repurposed into new items. Make sure old clothes and shoes are disposed of at recycling points rather than being put into the bin and destined for landfill. You can use our locator to find a clothing recycling bank near you.

For some people decluttering their clothes is very hard to do and a lot of emotions are connected to it. Lifestyle changes, fluctuations in weight, too many of the same type of clothing, feeling guilty and sentimental items are all reasons why decluttering clothes can be daunting.

How do you deal with clothing waste? ›

Dirty or Unwashed Clothes: Clothes that are dirty or unwashed may not be suitable for donation. It's important to provide clean and hygienic items. Single Socks or Shoes: Single socks or shoes without a matching pair may not be useful. Charities often prefer items that can be immediately used.

Your rubbish bin is the last place textile waste should go. Even natural fibres will take a long time to biodegrade in landfill, and synthetics will take hundreds and hundreds of years to break down, all while releasing harmful carbon emissions.

Check the label or sign on a clothing recycling bin and it should explain what happens to them. Normally they're either sold for profit to help the charity, sent overseas, or used to support a local community cause. Any clothes put in a recycling bin that can't be reused will likely end up at a recycling facility.

Cut or tear your old clothes up and make them into rags for cleaning. Dye the fabric and turn it into something usable like a hair elastic or headband. Use the textiles as pillow stuffing. Wear old stained or damaged clothing for painting projects or other dirty tasks like yardwork.

How to recycle shoes and boots. You can take your old or unwanted shoes and boots to most Recycling Centres, put them in a bring bank or donate them to a charity shop - find your nearest below. Remember to tie them together as they can easily get separated.