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Resale Stores 101

September 11, 2020

Nearly a year ago, we shared a blog about where recycled textiles go once they have been donated to a bin, or to a resale store. From sorting to consolidating to grading to their final destination, recycled textiles can go on to have a lengthy second life after you choose to donate them.

So what happens when your donations are placed in the store for resale? Are they simply resold as is, in the same condition you dropped them off? What do resale stores do with the money from sales? And do all salvageable items go on the floor?

Behind the Scenes

The behind the scenes look at local and chain resale stores is quite fascinating. Many stores go the extra mile to repair or clean salvageable donations with minor problems before placing them on the sales floor. Skilled craftsmen are employed in addition to those on the sales floor to repair these minor fixes.

“Upholstery is cleaned, and couches are shampooed, cleaned and sanitized. Electronics are plugged in to make sure they work. Donated mattresses are taken apart and rebuilt by a company before being resold at the store…In the woodshop, workers go through pieces of furniture. ‘If it’s salvageable, they’ll clean it up, make minor repairs if they can,’ Burleigh said.” (Read more here)

However, not all donations are salvageable. So what do resale stores do with these items?

“Furniture and other items that aren’t fit for sale in the Salvation Army store because they’re stained or defective are taken to the As-Is warehouse behind the processing center to await public auctions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Store merchandise not sold within three weeks also gets auctioned.”

This is why in our previous posts we have pointed out that it is important to make sure your donated items like electronics are in working condition. A working toaster or cd player is going to bring in more money for the resale store than a broken one, which may not bring in any. The sale of these items puts money back into the community and supports charitable causes.

Partner Programs

In addition to the two options of sales floor or auction, resale stores have partnership programs with local and/or national businesses and organizations:

“Goodwill participates in the Dell Reconnect program, in which computers that can’t be refurbished are recycled, and Dell pays Goodwill for the materials. Another partnership is with the nonprofit Shared Knowledge Literacy Foundation, which looks for unsold books with high-value titles that can be sold online.”

Many other resale stores also find local programs that can offer mutually beneficial partnerships, such as a thrift store in Virginia that donates books to “The Up Center for literacy programs.”

Partnership programs is where Chicago Textile Recycling fits in with resale stores. We have a partnership program with over 40 local Chicagoland resale stores to help them raise funds from their unsaleable clothing, purses, shoes and belts. Acting as a consolidator for these stores, we partner with them so that they too can raise money for local charities just like the bigger name resale stores.

Where Does the Money Go?

The next question you may be wondering is what do resale stores do with the money made from your donations? Of course some of the money has to go back into paying the store’s rent and utilities and paying employees, but the remaining profit oftentimes goes back into community programs and local charities. “All the money made in local Goodwill stores goes back to community programs – job training and career development for people with disabilities or obstacles such as homelessness.”

Resale stores have a variety of programs they support with the money made from sales:

“All proceeds raised by local stores go toward the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, which houses 114 men for six months to a year as they fight drug and alcohol addictions. To feed them three meals a day costs $20,000 a month, Burleigh said, in addition to expenses such as heat, water and electricity.”

Local (non-chain) resale stores typically have other community programs and charitable causes they work with. Many stores in our own Chicagoland area support homeless shelters, low-income families, and other programs.

This is why here at CTR we believe so strongly in what we do. Many of our recyclers previously gave their excess to the big guys – and then weren’t able to raise funds for their own critical programs. We stepped in and began consolidating all their unsaleable items with those from other local small business resale stores. The money they make from our purchase of those items goes back into our city supporting many great and vital programs in the community. We love supporting the people in our city and local small businesses while also caring for our planet.

Donations to Sales Floor or Somewhere Else?

After your donations have been sorted, there are many options as to where they can eventually wind up. As stated earlier and in previous blog posts, some donations go to auction, some to other countries, some to make rags or insulation, and some to the sales floor or local shelters.

“At the Union Mission Ministries store in Norfolk, in-house use is the top priority. ‘The first thing we do when we get items donated like clothing, we see where we can use it in our shelters,’ said Linda Jones, the mission’s public relations director. The approximately 350 people in the shelters get free clothing, and if they move into apartments, they are given household items. The next priority: poor people in the community, who receive vouchers and can pick out items from the store for free.

Whatever’s left after that is open for sale to the public, Jones said.”

Another resale store owner shared about a similar end for donations,

“Clothing that doesn’t sell is given to shelters for people in need, and linens that are stained or otherwise can’t be sold are donated to local animal shelters and animal hospitals, said Frances Ross, the Norfolk store’s assistant manager.”

Where We Fit In

Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we support small resale stores so that they can turn around and give to local shelters and other charitable organizations. Many cannot generate the volume of larger stores, so we purchase clothing items that are unsaleable and typically send them to a business who specializes in sorting and processing. We specifically serve as a consolidator and help fill full truckloads of baled unsaleable textiles (43,000 lbs at a time). This allows small resale stores to raise funds the same way the bigger name resale stores do and support their local nonprofits.

This is one big reason thrift or resale stores are so vital in our communities. They work to provide thousands of people with clothing and other household goods.

Why Choose Resale

Here are some of the many ways resale stores are important for our economy and the health of our planet:

They “employ tens of thousands of people”
“Generates at least $18 billion in annual revenue”
“Keeps an enormous amount of used stuff out of landfills”
“Contributes billions each year to social-service and job-training programs that are crucial to communities nationwide”

(Statistics found here)

After understanding the myriad of ways resale stores benefit our communities and planet, where CTR fits in as a partner to resale stores, and knowing the problems fast fashion potentially create, why not choose resale for all of your shopping needs?

Green Benefits

Too Much Stuff

August 17, 2020August 13, 2020

Chicago Textile Recycling works hard to “divert over 2.5 million pounds of waste from area landfills annually” and educate the public on the need for textile recycling in helping to care for our planet. Though we address primarily the recycling of textiles, overbuying and improperly disposing of possessions is a general problem across the board. We have become a culture consumed by materialism, having more, constantly wanting more, and with that comes a price paid by the health of our planet. It is a problem we need to take more seriously, and one that Adam Minter addresses in his newest book, “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale.”

For the sake of not creating a 700 page volume out of a blog post, I will mainly address the parts of his book where he discusses downsizing and cleaning out homes posthumously (after death).

Downsizing

In this time of tiny home popularity, downsizing is a regular occurrence. Not only is downsizing done voluntarily by those who are chasing after a simpler lifestyle, but it is also done by or for our aging population as they leave their lifelong homes to move into their (adult) child’s home or an assisted living facility.

Whatever reason one finds for downsizing, the question remains what to do with all of that stuff?

In his book, Minter educates his readers about cleanout companies that exist solely to help families downsize,

“The reasons for these cleanouts vary, but they typically revolve around downsizing and death. Business is booming: by 2030 senior citizens will account for one fifth of the U.S. population. Some of those seniors want to remain in their large single-family homes packed with stuff. But many others downsize, either by their own or someone else’s choice.” (“Secondhand,” p. 2)

The fact remains that many things a person owns has little to no resale value, with most of it accumulated for sentimental reasons. These sentimental reasons would likely not be relevant for others, and thus these items do not get resold. Additionally, Americans have grown over the last century in how much stuff that entails,

“The idea that a person may reach the end of life with more stuff than he or she can manage is new. For much of human history, senior citizens were among society’s most destitute and left little material evidence of themselves. That changed, like so much else, in the mid-twentieth century. Thanks to large houses (the average U.S. house has more than doubled in size since the 1950s), a robust social safety net, and longer lifespans, Americans have had the opportunity to acquire more stuff over a longer period of time than any nation in history.” (p. 8)

This newer problem of owning too much stuff has made an impact on the younger generation, who have created an entire movement realized from the dissatisfaction of owning too much. The simpler lifestyle movement was born, and with it, the tiny house movement, which challenges willing participants to downsize to bare necessities. Downsizing saves money and hopefully increases recreation time to pursue hobbies and things they love to do outside of work hours. Documentaries, books, and reality shows abound following this population in downsizing and chasing after what they find most important.

Through the writing of this book, it too affected Minter. Though his initial mission was to set out and find where his deceased mother’s belongings ended up, he ended up realizing too what “every consumer sort of knows. Sooner or later, we all know: it’s just stuff, and stuff isn’t forever.” (p. 272)

Posthumous Cleanouts

Another large problem presented by owning too much stuff is what happens to our belongings after we pass away. In short, this was the impetus Minter had in writing his second book, “Secondhand”:

“Two weeks after Junkyard Planet was published, my mother passed away unexpectedly. Like so many Americans with parents who accumulated stuff over a lifetime, my sister and I were left with an uneasy question: What do we do with her stuff? From a sentimental standpoint, it was hard to let go of anything for fear it meant something to her. From a practical perspective, neither of us had the space to keep much.” (“Secondhand,” p. xiv)

Though I am fortunate to still have two of my grandmothers alive (one in her 90s), I am entering the time of life when my peers and I are losing our parents. Recently my grandmother passed to us a paperweight she had given her husband, my Papa, many many years ago. She shared that he had eyed it longingly in a department store and she then went back later to buy it for him. He had loved receiving it she said and in passing it to my son, hoped it would be treasured once again. We all hope our most cherished belongings will be treasured by family after we are gone.

This hard issue of what to do with loved ones’ belongings after they pass away is a global one. In his book, Minter travels from North America to Asia and finds this problem everywhere. And everywhere he went, there were businesses that had been created to clean out homes of the deceased. As stated earlier, though, it is a new problem:

“Prior to World War II…the United States, like the rest of the world, was still an agrarian society, families were large and localized, and property of any kind was scarce, oftentimes homemade, and valuable. Nineteenth- and early twentieth-century practical housekeeping manuals (a genre that’s largely disappeared) were, in many respects, repair manuals. Some included basic cement recipes to aid in the repair of broken dishes. Others offered advice on basic strategies to prolong the usable lifespan of pottery, ironware, and glass. What little a parent or grandparent owned and left behind was bequeathed to the next generation for uninterrupted use. As the industrial revolution drew families into cities and mass-production jobs, society’s relationship to stuff began to change, and modern notions of ‘waste’ emerged.” (p. 16-17)

In the last 80 years the problem of waste and having “too much” materialized. This is likely due to the growing middle class and our ability to buy more things at cheaper cost and to the loss of sentimentality of owning handmade belongings, such as clothes and other items. As our world has become more fast-paced, we no longer have time to do all these things for ourselves, and so pay others to do them for us. The question then becomes how much is too much? And how can I change to better care for the earth and take more deliberate care of what I already own?

Textiles and Waste

At Chicago Textile Recycling, we aim to promote the recycling of textiles and inform you, our reader, on how to properly dispose of textiles in a way that is environmentally-friendly. This problem of too much stuff is one that pertains also to textiles.

“Likewise, before mass production rendered clothing cheap and large wardrobes a middle-class entitlement, garments were homemade and expensive. A shirt would require days of labor; bed linens and blankets were heirlooms. When they wore out or tore, they were mended, reused in other garments, or–ultimately–reduced to rags for cleaning.

Industrialization and urbanization changed everything. Busy days spent in a sweatshop provided little time to mend a shirt, repurpose it into a new garment, or reduce it to rags. As a result, store-bought alternatives emerged, and families used the money earned from hourly or daily wages to buy them. They were still expensive – it would be decades before middle-class Americans could afford multiple changes of store-bought clothes. But the idea that a garment or other object was a resource that should be renewed at home was eroding. In the process, the sentimental value associated with clothing declined as quickly as the material value. After all, it’s easier to discard a store-bought shirt than one made at home by a mother, a wife, or a sister.” (p. 17)

Fast fashion and our fast-paced lifestyle have led us away from having a sentimental relationship to our belongings. Now it is others who cut our old shirts down to rags.

However, I am hopeful that this new generation of youtube video makers, etsy store creators and young hipsters wanting to return to a slower pace and a simpler lifestyle will help others treasure those things we once held dear, and to return to a more handmade, environmentally-friendly way of life.

So What Now?

Over the course of the book, Minter travels all over the globe, learning a great deal of information about the life of our belongings such as textiles and electronics and how they make their way across continents. He follows those who clean out homes in the midwest of the U.S. and those who clean out homes in Japan and finds that owning too much stuff is a universal problem. It is not a problem that every person has, but many do. Talking to those who work in the field of cleaning out homes, it is clear these workers are affected in positive ways. From affecting their own consumption of material goods to bringing awareness to the brevity of life, it inspires change.

How will this inspire you? Will you buy less knowing someone else will have the task of foraging through your belongings after you pass on? Will you buy more thoughtfully with the environment in mind or how well the item is made knowing it will last to be passed on to the next generation? Or will you begin to declutter, creating your own business as Minter’s wife did during the writing of his book, or simply making better use of what you have and clearing out your space for a simpler lifestyle? The choice is yours.

Programs

The Truth About Shoes

July 30, 2020July 28, 2020

“According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Americans throw away at least 300 million pairs of shoes each year. These shoes end up in landfills, where they can take 30 to 40 years to decompose.” Read more here.

Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, the majority of our posts and blogs are about textile recycling, which includes any textiles that can be resold as is or recycled into rags or fiber content. When textiles come to mind, most people think of clothes, towels, sheets, etc, but not necessarily shoes. However, CTR does in fact accept paired shoe donations. This blog post will hopefully bring more clarity around shoes we do accept, facts about shoewear and how to handle your shoe purchases and ownership in an environmentally responsible way.

Paired Shoes – Shoes That CTR Accepts

Chicago Textile Recycling does accept paired shoes at their donation bins and partner resale stores. Shoes are a high demand item at CTR, primarily for reuse. If you have shoes that you no longer wear and they are simply sitting in your closet, please donate them. Types of shoes that are in highest demand are sneakers or athletic shoes, followed by leather work shoes and then sandals. Men’s shoes are in higher demand than women’s shoes as men typically own, and thus recycle, fewer pairs of shoes. However, we accept all sizes and most types of paired shoes and would love your donations.

Making Smart Shoe Purchases

When making the choice to purchase new shoes, there are factors to making smart choices about the kind of shoe and amount of shoes that are environmentally responsible. Shoes are needed for different activities, such as:

flip flops for summer time and time at the beach
warm boots for winter if you live in a cold climate
rain boots for living in the city and commuting to work in the spring
tennis shoes for running and exercising
dress shoes for work

Various shoes are needed for various reasons, but the problem comes in when shoes are bought and never worn, or worn once, or worn for looks and not for comfort.

Typically women are more renowned for overbuying in the shoe department. “Americans spend $85.6 billion on shoes every year.” (statistic found here) However, this is not always the case. Men also can choose to overbuy, and parents buying for their kids can easily find children shoes too cute not to purchase numerous pairs.

The environmentally responsible thing to do would be to buy shoes on an as needed basis for the variety of purposes they can serve and save the rest of your income for other areas in your life. Even better, as you are shopping for new shoes, purchase a single higher quality versatile shoe rather than several pairs that each only fit one specific purpose. Just as fast fashion makes cheap clothes that don’t last – the same is true with shoes. Quality over quantity is the environmentally friendly choice.

Regularly look through your shoe collection to find any that you do not wear or no longer wear and donate them to CTR or one of our partner resale stores if they are a style of shoe our program accepts.

A final environmentally responsible choice would be to use those shoes that are not easily reusable such as high heels or slippers or flip flops as much as possible so that they are thoroughly loved before they reach their end of life in a landfill. If broken, you could seek repair rather than simply throwing them away. When my husband’s cold weather boots started to split at the bottom, I made a final attempt at the local shoe repair store before finally throwing in the towel. Though not as prevalent as they once were, shoe repair stores can still be found and offer a great alternative in giving shoes a longer life.

True Shoe Recycling

Although there is much in the news about recycling textiles and the numerous companies that are taking that challenge head on, there are not many options for recycling shoes. The biggest way to extend the life of a shoe right now is to donate it for reuse. Much more innovation is needed for shoe recycling to be a legitimate option for shoes you no longer wear.

One recycling program, Nike Grind (reuse a shoe), accepts only athletic shoes for use in Nike Products. This is a good program, but unfortunately, good condition athletic shoes are some of the highest in demand for reuse also, which is what CTR serves to do with our donated shoes. We are still in need of other companies and organizations to take the lead in helping spread awareness about the problems of overbuying and how fast fashion through shoe buying specifically adds to the harm of our planet.

Recycle, Not Trash

It is important to remember to always donate or recycle and not to throw used textiles and shoes in the trash. Right now, the best end to shoes you no longer wear would be to donate them to local resale stores and CTR bins so that they can be reused by others if possible. Allow CTR and resale stores to have the final say of whether a shoe (or textile) is truly at its end of life. Little by little we can create change together.

Resale Stores

Textile Recycling During Covid-19

July 16, 2020July 14, 2020

As resale stores and our own textile recycling bins reopen around the Chicagoland area, you might be wondering:

“Is this safe?”

“Can and should I donate?”

“What new protocols are in place to keep employees, donation providers and customers safe from catching coronavirus?”

In this blog, we hope to educate our recyclers about what has changed in textile recycling during Covid-19 and how to stay healthy during our ongoing pursuit of keeping textiles out of landfills and taking care of our Earth.

Is This Safe?

The biggest question about recycling textiles and buying secondhand during the coronavirus pandemic is “Is this safe?”

Recently, the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles association (S.M.A.R.T.) posted about this very question. They wrote,

“Worried about visiting your local donation center, charity, or thrift store? Have no fear! As they reopen, we have heard from many entities that they are taking social distancing restrictions and enhanced sanitation policies seriously. This means you can donate in confidence, while knowing that you are making a significant difference for our environment.”

As a personal consumer of secondhand items, I have already witnessed this statement at work shopping at my local thrift store as well as attending a children’s consignment sale.

At the thrift store, aisles had been spread wider to encourage social distancing, markers were placed on the floor at the check-out lines, sanitizer was right inside the door and all employees and shoppers were wearing masks as required.

At the consignment sale, there were two employees behind plastic windows with masks on, hand sanitizer and masks upon entry as well as a thermometer checking customers’ temperatures. While shopping, there was only one other shopper who entered the entire hour I was there. And of course when I returned home, all items immediately went into the laundry or were sprayed down to disinfect.

In addition to reassuring those who shop and donate at secondhand stores in their blog post, S.M.A.R.T. issued a statement months prior addressing the Used Clothing Ban that many countries have adopted during Covid-19. In it, they assure importers the safety of continuing to buy and receive secondhand items, which also can reassure patrons of thrift stores. They stated,

“Numerous studies including those published in the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet have shown that COVID-19 may be detectable on hard, non-porous surfaces like plastics and metals for hours and potentially up to 2 to 3 days. The virus, however, is far less likely to survive on soft, porous surfaces like textiles including rugs, carpets and clothing, new or used. As recently issued guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on COVID-19 notes, mitigating whatever small risk might be present on soft, porous surfaces like textiles is easily addressed by laundering the textile/garment according to manufacturer instructions in warm water. This advice is supported by the fact that countless hospitals and other medical facilities are utilizing reusable linens and personal protective equipment/hospital apparel to protect healthcare workers that are treating patients infected with COVID-19. Notably, the CDC has not made any changes to existing guidance on how these textiles should be handled and processed since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States.” (read more here)

Another member of S.M.A.R.T., Bank and Vogue, agrees,

“From way before the COVID-19 outbreak, thrift stores have taken measures to keep a clean and healthy environment in their facilities. During this pandemic, these procedures have just heightened. As thrift stores begin to open up around the world, they have implemented new protocols to ensure the virus is not transmitted to any of their stakeholders. For instance, the clothes collected from bins usually stay 72 hours in trailers before getting into the warehouse. Also, thrift stores disinfect the workplace several times a day, all the employees use protective masks and gloves, and they assure social distancing by establishing a maximum capacity inside their facilities.”

It is ultimately up to you and how comfortable you feel leaving home right now, and what protective measures you are currently following when being around others. However, rest assured that donation centers and thrift stores are taking every measure on their end to ensure that coronavirus is not spreading at their facilities and that they are striving to keep employees safe and healthy.

Can and Should I Donate?

Can I?

The simple answer to the second question is a resounding yes. Thrift stores are reopening. Our textile recycling bins are slowly opening back up also, with the bin located by our warehouse already available 24/7. Donation centers are open again with stacks upon stacks of boxes and bags and furniture donations. What has everyone done at home during the quarantine? Clean out their closets…and homes apparently. Thrift stores and donation centers are currently overwhelmed by donations. A friend online recently posted a picture of our local Goodwill store with donations stacked from the donation door all the way to the front door. It has become a problem across the country. Are your donations still desired by secondhand stores? Yes. But maybe not right now.

The overwhelming donations have become such an issue that the media has begun reporting about it. In a recent piece by Adam Minter, author of “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale”, he stated,

“A drop-off in demand plus a surge in supply is creating a storage problem, with thrift stores across the country now looking for additional space or even suspending donations. That, in turn, has led to a rush of well-intentioned spring cleaners dumping their used goods at the doors of closed thrift shops. These informal “donations” don’t help anyone: They create health and safety risks, force thrifts to pay disposal costs for stuff that might otherwise have been a source of revenue, and increase the likelihood that perfectly good products will end up in landfills.”

Keeping this in mind, Minter and executives of charity shops he spoke with encourage those who want to donate to simply hold onto their donations for a while longer until donations start to slow down. In addition, Minter shared advice to those desiring to donate:

“If you’re looking to donate, you should also make sure your stuff is labeled and take care that it’s actually usable. A broken toaster isn’t a gift to Goodwill, it’s a cost. Most thrifts maintain lists of acceptable items that are worth consulting before dropping anything off. Whatever you do, don’t ‘donate’ when the thrift store is closed. More likely than not, your stuff will be pilfered or ruined by the elements before it gets through the door.”

During the first few months of coronavirus, we were stuck at home with nowhere to go surrounded by all of our stuff, so we cleaned. Chicago Textile Recycling made posts about now being the time to clean out those closets and dressers and more. As we cleaned out our homes, we had no choice but to store it somewhere until donation centers and recycling bins reopened. Here is the advice that Minter, thrift and charity shop owners, and CTR wants to pass along…keep it there, for now. Simply wait a little while longer to donate so that these stores and charities are not overwhelmed or burdened by your donations, but waiting eagerly for them again.

Should I?

As stated in the first quote above by the S.M.A.R.T. association, “you can donate in confidence, while knowing that you are making a significant difference for our environment”. Should you continue to donate old textiles instead of throwing them in the trash? Absolutely. In the same post, S.M.A.R.T. says,

“If you have taken the time to go through your old clothes, shoes and other unused or unwanted textiles while navigating quarantine, we hope you opted not to toss them in the trash. Why? Because when they find their way to landfills, they have many negative environmental impacts, including contributing to greenhouse gas emissions!”

Can you donate? Yes. Should you donate? Yes. But hold on to your donations just a few months more. Thrift stores and charity shops want your donations. The health of our planet needs your donations to stay out of landfills. This involves not throwing your old textiles away AND waiting until those businesses are ready and able to handle your donations in a way that benefits our planet and continues to help them in their missions to help others through your donations:

“The thrift industry is more important than most Americans realize. Largely out of sight, it employs tens of thousands of people and generates at least $18 billion in annual revenue. It keeps an enormous amount of used stuff out of landfills, and contributes billions each year to social-service and job-training programs that are crucial to communities nationwide.”

Minter continues later in the article, describing consequences of overwhelming resale stores right now,

“The consequences should be a concern for all Americans, whether or not they shop in thrift stores. In 2018, Goodwill alone funded $5.3 billion in charitable services, including education assistance, job training and work placements. Smaller donation-based charities, such as the arc Thrift Stores in Colorado, spend millions each year employing people with disabilities. As the pandemic’s economic impact spreads, those contributions will necessarily shrink. Already, Goodwill is facing thousands of layoffs nationwide.”

Let’s take care of our planet and the people on our planet by waiting a little while longer.

What new protocols are in place to keep employees, donation providers and customers safe from catching coronavirus?

As stated above under “Is it safe?,” many thrift stores and charity shops have adopted new or increased existing disinfection protocols in their stores. In addition, they have implemented creative solutions to ensure social distancing and other ways to decrease the chances of spreading coronavirus in store. Some of these new protocols include:

clothes collected from bins usually stay 72 hours in trailers before getting into the warehouse
thrift stores disinfect the workplace several times a day
all the employees use protective masks and gloves
they assure social distancing by establishing a maximum capacity inside their facilities
aisles spread wider to encourage social distancing
markers placed on the floor at check-out lines to maintain six foot rule
sanitizer placed inside front door
shoppers requirement to wear masks being enforced
reduced hours to have more time for cleaning and disinfecting

With these protocols set in place, you can rest easy returning to your local resale stores.

Moving Forward

As we are all learning new ways of doing things during this time of coronavirus, it is still so important to continue to prioritize the health of our planet. Recycling textiles is one big way we can do this. Now that businesses and bins are reopening, remember to save your textile donations and gradually bring them in when your local resale stores are no longer overwhelmed. Remember also to prioritize the health of yourself and others by wearing a mask and social distancing.

Green Benefits

What Can I Become

June 25, 2020December 11, 2024

Last Summer, Chicago Textile Recycling did a series titled “What Can I Become” showcasing each week the possibilities of recycled textiles and what their next life might look like. We were inspired by the organization S.M.A.R.T.’s informative post with all the different potential outcomes of recycled textiles found here. Though textiles don’t always become these specific products once recycled, it reveals many important uses your recycled textiles can have and why it is vitally important to recycle old textiles rather than throwing them away.

The first use of a donated textile will always be attempted reuse and resale at a thrift/consignment store or sent to other countries for reuse. However for those items no longer in good or reusable condition, there are numerous ways each can be recycled. And in the following examples, the products are downcycled (read our blog here to learn more) and listed below:

Stuffed Toys & Pillows

Stuffed toys and pillows can become car seat stuffing and automobile insulation. So what happens to all those stuffed animals and pillows your children no longer love as they grow into preteens and teenagers? Sometimes they can be cleaned and resold at resale stores but for those in very used condition or poor condition, they can be recycled and become stuffing for car seats or insulation for automobiles. So when your kids outgrow their love of mickey mouse or pikachu, donate it to us and we will see that it finds another life elsewhere, either in another adoring fan’s arms or to keep you and your family safe while driving down the road.

T-Shirts, Sheets, Towels & Clothing

T-shirts, sheets, towels and clothing can become wiping rags. T-shirts and clothing in good or great condition are typically resold in stores or sent to other countries to provide clothing for the population there, but for t-shirts and clothing that is not salvageable for reuse, and for towels and sheets, many times it is recycled into wiping rags.

The parent company of Chicago Textile Recycling is Wipeco, Inc, which supplies janitorial products to a wide range of customers in the Midwest. The largest selling product at Wipeco is wiping rags, which are recycled from donated textiles collected from CTR bins around the Chicagoland area. Therefore, for our company, if not resold, the next best use of old t-shirts, sheets, towels and clothing is in fact to recycle them into wiping rags. We collect these from area bins and partner resale stores, as well as partnerships with local places of business.

Denim

Denim can become home insulation. For denim jeans, skirts, overalls and other products that are in good condition, they can be resold and reused. However for denim that is not in the best shape or stained or torn too much, it can be shredded and used as home insulation. This is a great way to keep denim out of landfills and give it another life in a different form that is beneficial for textile recycling and keeping your home warm.

Shoe Soles

Shoe soles can become paving material. When shoe soles contain fine rubber powder, they can be recycled as rubber granulate that then combines with a binder and goes into creating roads, running tracks, playground surfacing, railroad pads and more. Shoes are high in demand as a reuse and resale product, but for those that don’t make the cut, they can be used for paving material.

Sweaters & Coats

Sweaters and coats can become carpet padding. Similar to denim that is broken down and made into insulation, sweaters and coats that are no longer reusable can be downcycled into carpet padding. One of the three methods of recycling textiles we discuss on our website is breaking the textiles down into fiber content. This would be the case for making carpet padding from sweaters and coats. Carpet padding is another great way to keep textiles out of landfills and give them a new purpose and life.

Curtains & Drapes

Curtains and drapes can become stuffing for pillows, sleeping bags and animal beds. In the same way as products mentioned previously, curtains and drapes can be recycled into fiber content used to stuff those three products. For curtains and drapes in good condition, they can be cleaned and resold. But for those too stained and/or torn to be reused, they may end up as filling for new products that need a little fluff.

Wool Sweater & Materials

Wool sweaters and materials can become baseball and softball filling. Ever wonder what baseballs and softballs have on the inside giving them the density and weight to be used for sport? At the core is rubber or cork, which is then wrapped in wool and poly/cotton windings, with a cowhide exterior. For those wool sweaters and materials that are falling apart, donate them even if you don’t think they would be considered for reuse. They can become filling for America’s favorite sport.

Velvet Materials

Velvet materials can become jewelry box lining. Though velvet isn’t as popular a textile as it once was, you can still find it being used in various forms such as curtains, pants, furniture and blazers here and there. When no longer in need of your favorite velvety smooth textile, please donate it. If the item is not suitable for reuse, it can become box lining for your next jewelry purchase.

Leftover Fabric Scraps

Leftover fabric scraps can become paper money. As explained in this article, which sites the U.S. Treasury, American paper money is created from 75% cotton and 25% linen. Though pure cotton or linen textiles are much harder to come by these days, those scraps of textiles that are still produced can be used to make cash for your pocket.

Donate

Hopefully this informative blog post has informed and inspired you in your textile donations. It’s important to always remember to allow the resale workers or bin collectors to have the opportunity to make the call on what can be reused or recycled and for what purpose. Instead of deciding yourself and trashing textiles, donate all that you can in hopes of keeping the maximum amount of textiles out of landfills.

If you have questions or are looking for a bin/resale store, please contact us.

Green Benefits

2 Terms Defined: Upcycle and Downcycle

June 15, 2020December 11, 2024

As we have spent the past few months defining and differentiating terms such as reuse, recycle and repurpose, there are two other terms at the forefront of the conversation about circular fashion and textile recycling: upcycle and downcycle. But what do those two terms mean exactly? Where do they fit into this conversation and how do they relate to our work at Chicago Textile Recycling?

Upcycle

Merriam-Webster online defines upcycle as “to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item.” The website pinterest is full of ideas for upcycling different products that you own. Craft fairs are notorious for selling upcycled products.

Upcycling is making something new of higher value from the material without having to do a complete recreation of raw material. Examples include: trash art, seatbelt purses, leather bags made from old leather jackets, etc.

“As of March 2017, some 21 percent of respondents stated that they regularly upcycled used materials.” (statistic found here)

But how does upcycle differ from recycle, reuse and repurpose? As we shared about in this previous blog post, reuse is the simple reuse of something, such as passing along old baby clothes to a pregnant friend, so in comparison to upcycle, reuse would not involve recycling or increasing the value.

Recycling involves a product being reprocessed into a new raw material by grinding up the old material, which also wouldn’t be the case for upcycling, so although many descriptions and definitions of the term upcycle include the term recycle, there is no new raw material being created in the case of upcycling.

The repurposing of an item would be the closest in definition to upcycling, with the difference being in its value at the end of the process, and its possibility of slight alterations in creating the new product. If the new product increases in value through the process, it has been upcycled. If it doesn’t, it has been repurposed.

Examples

T-shirt quilts, baby blankets and other “priceless” products made from old clothes
Purses made out of license plates or capri sun juice pouches or seatbelts
Necklaces made out of balled up magazine pages
Trash art
Leather bags made from old leather jackets

Benefits

Reducing waste sent to landfills
Reduces air pollution, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions
Reduces need for raw materials
Fostering local or artisanal work
One of a kind items
Source of income for artisan

Downcycle

In comparison to upcycle, Merriam-Webster defines downcycle as “to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a lower value than the original item.” As stated before, this process is most closely related to repurposing, but in this case, the new item would decrease in value. Again, downcycling is different than reuse in that it decreases in value and it takes on a new form.

Downcycling is making something new of lesser value without having to do a complete recreation of raw material as recycling would. The obvious example of downcycling at CTR is taking a shirt and cutting it into wiping rags.

Examples

Turning recycled textiles into fiber content for car seat or sofa stuffing and car insulation
Using old jeans to make home insulation
Turning textiles into rag rugs
Cutting a shirt into wiping rags

Benefits

Reducing waste sent to landfills
Reduces air pollution, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions
Reduces need for raw materials
Allows products to be used to their fullest extent

Where CTR Fits In

Chicago Textile Recycling, as a part of its parent company Wipeco Inc., collects used textiles to do one of three things: 1) sell for reuse, 2) downcycle into wiping rags in our factory which we then sell to janitorial supply buyers, or 3) sell to other companies to downcycle into fiber content. Because the wiping rags we sell have less value than the sheets, towels and clothes they were originally, it is considered downcycling. These three uses of recycled textiles are currently the best ways to keep textiles out of landfills, so we are playing a major part in helping to reduce landfill waste, reduce greenhouse emissions and help take care of our planet for future generations.

For further information about our company or to find the location of your closest CTR bin or partner resale store, please contact us.

Green Benefits

Earth Day is Almost Here

April 17, 2020April 9, 2020

Next Wednesday is Earth Day. This year, 2020, marks 50 years of Earth Day being celebrated. On their website about Earth Day, the organizers of the Earth Day movement explain some of the history behind how Earth Day came to be:

“Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health.

However, the stage was set for change with the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health.”

Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. It was created to have a day focused on the environment and the concerns of air and water pollution. The very first Earth Day in 1970 had a turnout of 20 million Americans who “took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.” That first Earth Day “led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.” Twenty years later, Earth Day went global.

Ideas for Earth Day

Every year there are a wide number of events to attend in celebration and honor of Earth Day. This year, however, with coronavirus creating the need for social distancing, here are some other ways you can help in your own neighborhood, yard or corner of the world.

Virtual Event

On Wednesday, April 22nd, Chicago Park Districts Friends of the Parks is hosting a digital Earth Day celebration. Previously, they had organized a city wide parks clean up day for the weekend prior. However, this has been postponed due to coronavirus. They are planning to reschedule the outdoor clean up day once the “shelter in place” order has ended. Check here to find out more about their Digital Earth Day.

Start Your Own Compost

Composting is great for the environment in that it reduces the amount of waste you are sending to the landfills each week and it is nutrient rich for your flower or vegetable garden. You can buy composting kits from online stores or read information online about creating a hole in your backyard for compost heap. Remember to cover it after adding food scraps to keep critters out.

Recycle Textiles

Another great way to help the environment is to clean out your textiles and donate them to our bins and partner resale stores. Earth Day would be a great day to come together as a family and clean out closets and dressers, but as mentioned in our other social media posts, please keep them at home in storage until the quarantine has lifted so that we can keep our employees safe. Textile recycling is great for the environment because it keeps textiles out of landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Pick Up Trash in Your Neighborhood

If you are feeling stir crazy, leave home while also keeping others safe by taking a walk in your neighborhood, local park or preserve that remains open. Remember to continue to practice social distancing and stick close to your family. While you are out on your walk, take a pair of gloves and some trash bags to pick up trash along the way. Cleaning up your neighborhood and park helps the environment so that animals and other creatures don’t end up eating the trash or getting stuck in it. This also reduces the risk of trash being blown into bodies of water to contaminate lifeforms there.

Plant Flowers to Attract Butterflies and Bumblebees

Butterflies and bumblebees are important to our ecosystems and pollination. They offer natural pest control and provide food for larger animals. They also eat weedy plants. “About one third of the food people eat depends on the work of pollinators such as butterflies.” (Read more here.) According to this site for the USDA, “bees of all sorts pollinate approximately 75 percent of the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States, and one out of every four bites of food people take is courtesy of bee pollination.” Butterflies and bumblebees are vital parts of the ecosystem and can help in growing flower and vegetable gardens in your yard. This Earth Day, you can choose to plant flowers and other plants that will attract these incredibly beneficial creatures. For information on what to plant, read more here.

How CTR is Involved on Earth Day and Everyday

Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we are ever expanding our efforts to decrease textile waste and we are seeking additional partners. We are currently seeking resale stores in the Chicagoland area looking to generate funds recycling excess and unsaleable items. We are also seeking communities, businesses or organizations interested in establishing a textile recycling partnership program by hosting a recycling bin! If you know of any place of business in your area willing to host a bin or expand their outreach for helping the Earth, please reach out to us.

Textiles currently make up 6.3% of the waste stream, which means the average American throws away 81 lbs of clothing annually! So the need is real! We have premade letters and informative fliers you can share with anyone who may be interested and we offer numerous incentives for you in using our bins:

Get paid for goods collected
Provide a convenient service
Increase traffic to your business
Help the environment
Support a local small business

Earth Day

No matter what you choose to do this Earth Day, take the day, the week, the month and hopefully the whole year to share with others how important it is to do our part in taking care of our planet. Educate yourself and others on small changes to make in your day to day that can add up to a major difference for the future, and remember to recycle your textiles.

Our Company

Coronavirus and CTR

April 9, 2020April 8, 2020

As your news feeds have been inundated with the latest information on coronavirus these past few months, Chicago Textile Recycling wanted to share with you where we fit in and what we are doing to “do our part” during this pandemic.

Cleaning Out and Donating Textiles

If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you have seen our posts about social distancing and sheltering in place being a great time to clean out closets, dressers, shoes, and more…but we have also shared that it is not a great time to take those to resale stores and CTR bins.

The reason for this is because we too are attempting to follow state and federal orders for social distancing. What this means for our company is not furthering transmission of coronavirus through donation pick ups at bins, resale stores and other companies that have partnerships with us. There is so much information that is still being learned about the spread of this virus and one of those unknowns is the longevity of life the virus has on clothes, cardboard, plastic and other materials. In order to protect our company employees, we are doing all that we can to keep them healthy and out of overcrowded hospitals.

We appreciate each of you as our recyclers helping us as we try to do our part in keeping everyone safe. Feel free to clean out and spring clean, but please set aside your donations in your attic, garage or closets until the country is able to get back on its feet once this pandemic has passed. Most or all resale stores are also closed at this time and not accepting donations, so please keep donatable textiles at home.

Our Parent Company Wipeco, Inc

As we have mentioned in previous blogs and posts on social media, Chicago Textile Recycling is under the parent company of Wipeco, Inc., which supplies cloth wipers, cleaning products and a wide range of janitorial supplies to companies and programs around the Midwest. Wipeco sells hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and disinfectant to customers such as city bus systems and healthcare facilities, and right now is prioritizing these customers due to their need to remain open and stocked as essential workers.

Wipeco is having all non-essential employees such as their sales team working from home to reduce the risk of spread at this time. Here are some other changes we have implemented to help keep our employees safe and our customers safe:

We have streamlined and stopped offering nonessential recycling services.
Truck drivers no longer have access to our warehouse.
We have increased surface wiping, hand washing and social distancing practices for our remaining employees.
We have modified our office & warehouse hours to be 8:00am-4:00pm M-F.

In addition to these safety changes, Wipeco has also needed to add some policy changes effective due to the pandemic including adjusted shipping and packing policies. Both of our companies are working very hard to fill essential demand for care workers in Chicago and the greater Chicagoland area as well as do everything we can to keep our employees safe.

What You Can Do

Now that you know our part in this pandemic, here are some ideas on ways you can do your part in keeping others safe and helping all small companies, schools, and places of gathering get back to normal sooner rather than later…

Social Distance

Many of our social media posts of late have reflected and reaffirmed our need to social distance. This is vital to stop the spread of this virus and is of paramount importance for flattening the curve and being able to open places back up.

Wash Your Hands

The easiest and quickest way that this virus spreads is through direct contact touch with others who have the virus or from surfaces touched by those carrying the virus. Because coronavirus takes upto 5 days to display symptoms, thorough and constant handwashing is absolutely necessary to stop the spread.

Shelter in Place

The governor of Illinois has given the order to shelter in place for anyone who is not an essential employee. This is a necessary step to being able to move on from this pandemic more quickly. We at CTR and Wipeco are only completing the tasks that are absolutely essential in our office and warehouse and working all other tasks from our homes right now. We ask that you do your part in doing the same so that we all can return to gatherings and workplaces and outings sooner rather than later. And so that we can work together to save lives of those at higher risk for this virus.

We so appreciate the patience of our customers at this time and we also appreciate the help of our customers, recyclers and followers in helping to keep everyone safe.

For any questions, please contact us.

Recycling

Spring Cleaning 101

March 12, 2020February 19, 2020

The first day of Spring lands one week from today and for many of us, that means the time has come for the annual deep cleaning of our home. According to the 2018 ACI National Cleaning Survey, “91 percent of Americans and 96 percent of Millennials engage in spring cleaning, with 76 percent of the population participating each year.” There are many reasons for spring cleaning, the tops ones named in the survey being: “to give my house the thorough cleaning it needs (60%), to remove clutter (22%), to remove asthma or allergy triggers (10%), and to prevent the spread of illness (7%).” No matter what your reason is for spring cleaning this year, we would love to highlight a few key rooms and areas around the house as you clean to also check for used textiles you may no longer want or need.

Bathroom

Amongst those who took the survey, the room most likely to get deep cleaned was the bathroom: “46% reported that the bathroom was the room they most likely chose to ‘deep clean’.” As you clean the bathroom this Spring, remember to declutter as well. Check the drawers and closets in your bathroom to assess which towels and washcloths no longer get used or absorb as they should. Check also your beach towel stash for the summer ahead and recycle any beach towels that you no longer need or use. Lastly, If you are looking to give your bathroom an inexpensive makeover, also remember to recycle your cloth shower curtain. For information about recycling bins and partner stores nearest to you, please contact us.

Textiles to Recycle

Towels
Washcloths
Hand Towels
Beach Towels
Cloth Shower Curtain

Kitchen

The second most likely room to be deep cleaned (with 36%) according to the survey was the kitchen. This is usually comprised of pulling ovens and refrigerators out to sweep underneath or behind, deep cleaning the oven and fridge, sinks and stovetops, and mopping or scrubbing floors. As you complete these tedious but necessary tasks, look around at the textiles in this room also and see what needs to be recycled. Kitchen towels, non-vinyl tablecloths, table runners, cloth placemats and oven mitts at times will need an overhaul, and when they do, remember to recycle these items and do not throw them away.

Textiles to Recycle

Kitchen Towels
Non-vinyl Tablecloths
Table Runners
Cloth Placemats
Oven Mitts

Living Room

The next room most likely (10%) to be deep cleaned this spring is the living room. Although we do not accept pillows or rugs, we do accept pillow covers, sofa covers, drapes or curtains, and blankets that you may find in your living room. Even if it is tattered, stained or contains holes, please donate it so that we can best decide how to give it another life elsewhere. For where to donate your rugs, carpets or pillows, check out our previous blog about CTR’s unacceptable items and how to recycle them.

Textiles to Recycle

Pillow Covers
Sofa Covers
Drapes/Curtains
Throw Blankets

Bedrooms

From those surveyed, seven percent answered they deep cleaned bedrooms as well during spring cleaning. Bedrooms are where the majority of textiles can be found in your home as bedding and clothes constitute the majority of what we own in textiles. As you move your bed aside to vacuum underneath and dust dressers and bookshelves, take the time to declutter as well in your spring cleaning and clean out your closets, dressers and excess bedding. No matter how you go about the process, it will feel good to go through and assess what you already own, what you may need, what no longer fits or is no longer in good shape to wear and recycle those items you’ve realized are not getting worn.

You can also look through shoes and donate any paired shoes to our bins or partner resale stores. Additionally we accept purses, backpacks, belts, handbags, totebags and stuffed animals. For a full list of acceptable and unacceptable items, click here.

Textiles to Recycle

Bedding (Sheets/comforters/pillowcases)
Curtains
Clothes (Jeans/pants/shirts/sweaters/socks/underwear/bras/dresses/shorts/swimsuits)
Paired Shoes
Stuffed Animals
Purses or Backpack or Soft Luggage
Belts

Closets

One area of your home not mentioned by those who took the survey but equally important in cleaning out this season are your closets, such as linen closets, hall closets, and front closets. At Chicago Textile Recycling, we accept sheets, bedspreads, jackets, coats, scarves, hats, mittens, and quilts in addition to those items mentioned above such as handbags and backpacks. All of these items may be ones only found in extra closets around the house, so be sure to clean these out as well before making a trip to the donation bin or resale store.

Textiles to Recycle

Linens
Towels
Jackets and Coats
Scarves, Hats, Mittens
Quilts

Spring Cleaning includes Decluttering

Twenty-two percent of survey respondents cited decluttering as their primary reason for spring cleaning each year. If you are a part of that 22%, or even if you aren’t, try decluttering as a part of your spring cleaning this year and see if living with less reduces anxiety and makes you feel better in the space where you live. “Women’s stress levels are directly proportional to the amount of stuff in their homes.” I have found this to be true in my home. I feel more relaxed when there are less piles on each tabletop and when things are put away in their proper place. According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, “getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in the average home.” Who wouldn’t want less housework?!

Another statistic that may sway you is one given by the National Association of Professional Organizers that reports “on average we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items.” If that sounds a little too incredible, another study done by Pixie, a location app for iPhones states that “Americans spend an average total of 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced stuff.” (Read more here.) Whether it’s 2.5 days every year (125 days over 50 years time) or an entire year of your life, think of all that time you could gain by instead spending the time now to declutter and create a space for each item you own.

Whatever your reasoning is for spring cleaning this year, know that the commitment and effort are worth it. You and your family will feel better once its been accomplished, your home will look better, and the environment will be improved by donating textiles, lowering the amount of space used up by landfills and significantly lowering carbon emissions. So mark your calendar and get ready to “spark joy” this spring.

Recycling

4 Unusual Items We Do Accept

February 28, 2020January 29, 2020

“An average American throws away approximately 80 pounds of used clothing per person per year.”

Chicago Textile Recycling accepts many items in our recycling bins located throughout Chicagoland. Most of the items are things you think of when you think recyclable textiles…shirts, pants, socks, sheets, towels, curtains, blankets, dresses, jackets, etc. However, we also wanted to highlight a few things you may not think you should recycle, but that we do indeed accept and recycle for others to use. “Nearly 100 percent of textiles and clothing are recyclable” so please remember to donate rather than throw away. Here are 4 unusual items we do accept…

Undies

Most people assume that once underwear is worn and no longer wearable due to holes and broken elastic, it is trash. Either the person is embarrassed about having someone else see their used undies, or it just doesn’t cross their mind that this would be a product that recycling facilities may want. However, to clarify the confusion, CTR does accept used panties and underwear as long as they are clean, dry, and odor-free, and they actually are in high demand due to people being so reticent about donating them. When it comes to keeping textiles out of landfills, we want to recycle as much as possible…into reusable clothing if possible, into wiping rags, or into basic fiber content. So send us your undies!

Bras

Another item most people assume may not be an acceptable donation are bras, but there in fact exists a high demand for used bras. Brand new bras are very expensive, and so those that are used but still in workable condition should definitely be donated to your nearest bin. Resale store shoppers and even those receiving bulk donations in third world countries appreciate and need affordable bras. Even bras you may no longer consider wearable due to pilling or small holes or loosened elastic can be worn by others in need. If your bra is broken, recycle it anyway and allow CTR or the resale store be the final judge on how we can use it.

Stained and Torn Children’s Clothing

One item you may think twice about donating is children’s clothing that has stains or holes in the knees. Again, children’s clothing is in high demand and we definitely do accept clothes with both of those imperfections. As long as the clothing is clean, dry, and free of odor, we accept it and use it in any reused or recycled form we can. When in doubt, recycle. Allow the experts in textile recycling make the final call in knowing if a textile is in fact as its end of life. Be satisfied in knowing that you have done your part in helping others and keeping textiles out of landfills.

Pantyhose

Lastly, pantyhose is an item that we do accept, but may fall into a slightly different category due to lack of demand. You are welcome to donate your used pantyhose/stockings/tights to us, or another option could also be found on this website. Swedish stockings is a Sweden-based company that uses 100% recycled or sustainable materials to make stockings for sale. Part of their efforts toward a closed loop of fashion and promoting sustainability is their Recycling Club. If you send in three pairs of old pantyhose (any brand), they will send you a discount code for 10% off your purchase. Whether you place old pantyhose and tights in our bin or send them to this company, the environment wins because you are helping keep textiles out of landfills.

Recycle All of Your Textiles

There are numerous reasons to recycle textiles. From helping the environment to decreasing what is sent to landfills to increasing jobs to feelings of accomplishment, the reasons are many. A few of the great reasons to recycle are:

“The United States textile recycling industry removes approximately 2.5 billion pounds of post-consumer textiles each year from the waste stream, and the industry creates more than 17,000 jobs. Among this workforce, 10,000 are semi-skilled workers employed in the primary processing of used textile; the remaining 7,000 employees are employed in the final processing stage. There are more than 500 garment-recycling companies in the U.S. and a majority of these companies are owned and operated by small and family businesses, each of which employs 35 to 50 workers.”

“Through the reuse of clothes and textiles, we can avoid pollution and energy-intensive production of new clothing. Additionally, clothing that cannot be reused may be repurposed into products such as rags or recycled into fabric or other material for reprocessing.”

“If the average life of clothing was extended by just three months, it would reduce their carbon and water footprints, as well as waste generation, by five to 10 percent. The recycling of two million tons of clothing per year equates to taking one million cars from U.S. streets.”

With this increased awareness and knowledge of how you can help your planet, remember to always donate your textiles.

For more statistics about textiles recycling, visit this website.

For a full list of what CTR accepts, visit this page.

Behind the Scenes

Partner Programs

Where Does the Money Go?

Donations to Sales Floor or Somewhere Else?

Where We Fit In

Why Choose Resale

Downsizing

Posthumous Cleanouts

Textiles and Waste

So What Now?

Paired Shoes – Shoes That CTR Accepts

Making Smart Shoe Purchases

True Shoe Recycling

Recycle, Not Trash

Is This Safe?

Can and Should I Donate?

Can I?

Should I?

What new protocols are in place to keep employees, donation providers and customers safe from catching coronavirus?

Moving Forward

Stuffed Toys & Pillows

T-Shirts, Sheets, Towels & Clothing

Denim

Shoe Soles

Sweaters & Coats

Curtains & Drapes

Wool Sweater & Materials

Velvet Materials

Leftover Fabric Scraps

Donate

Upcycle

Examples

Benefits

Downcycle

Examples

Benefits

Where CTR Fits In

Ideas for Earth Day

Virtual Event

Start Your Own Compost

Recycle Textiles

Pick Up Trash in Your Neighborhood

Plant Flowers to Attract Butterflies and Bumblebees

How CTR is Involved on Earth Day and Everyday

Earth Day

Cleaning Out and Donating Textiles

Our Parent Company Wipeco, Inc

What You Can Do

Social Distance

Wash Your Hands

Shelter in Place

Bathroom

Textiles to Recycle

Kitchen

Textiles to Recycle

Living Room

Textiles to Recycle

Bedrooms

Textiles to Recycle

Closets

Textiles to Recycle

Spring Cleaning includes Decluttering

Undies

Bras

Stained and Torn Children’s Clothing

Pantyhose

Recycle All of Your Textiles

© 2026 Chicago Textile Recycling