Children’s Books on Textile Recycling
We love to educate our readers about the importance of textile recycling. And we know that our readers include all different races, ethnicities, genders, etc. Our readers also come from different family sizes, from single adults to heads of households of multiple children. For those that know kids, have kids, are aunts and uncles to kids, teach kids or just love kids, this post is for you. To fulfill this part of our mission of educating readers, we would love to share children’s books we have come across that teach kids about textile recycling and understanding textiles.
Jordan and the Magic Cape
Fifteen students in Simon Fraser University’s Make Change Studio Program created a book titled “Jordan and the Magic Cape” to teach kids about textile sustainability. The main character Jordan owns a beloved cape that becomes damaged. After Jordan is told to throw it away, the cape comes to life and tells Jordan that they are not finished having adventures together. Jordan then learns about different fabrics that can restore the powers of the cape.
Where Did My Clothes Come From?
Written by Chris Butterworth, this book explains how and where different fabrics are made. From jeans being made from cotton plants to sweaters being made from sheep’s wool to a party dress made from silk worms, this book goes semi in-depth in a kid friendly way to help kids understand the process of creating textiles. Other fabrics include chemical synthetics, fleece made from recycled plastic bottles, and boots made from rubber trees. The last few pages are dedicated to recycling facts and the importance of textile recycling.
My Panda Sweater
In this book by Gilles Baum, a little girl loves to wear her panda sweater. When she grows too big for it, she donates it so someone else might use it. A new child joins her class one day, and the child is wearing the panda sweater. She befriends the new classmate and they dance together, not caring what other kids may think. This book will inspire kids to share clothes they have outgrown with other kids in need.
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Simms Taback wrote this story about a man with an overcoat that was old and worn. Joseph created a jacket from the coat, which then became old and worn. He then made a vest, scarf, tie, handkerchief and button, until finally he lost the button. Inspired by a Yiddish folk song, titled, “I Had a Little Overcoat,” the author created this book to teach about using textiles to their end of life.
Something from Nothing
A very similar book is “Something from Nothing” by Phoebe Gilman about a little boy whose grandfather made him a blanket, which after becoming worn, became a jacket, vest, tie, etc. The illustrations in this book also depict a mouse family living under the floorboards that take the scraps from this blanket as the grandfather cuts it down into different items and uses the scraps for bedding, rugs, curtains and clothes.
I Had a Favorite Dress
Another book with a similar plot is “I Had a Favorite Dress” by Boni Ashburn. Similar to the previous books, it is about a little girl who has a favorite dress, which she outgrows. Her mom then sews it into a shirt, tank top, skirt, scarf, socks, and then hairbow. After the hairbow becomes too tattered, her daughter makes the little pieces of the hairbow into a picture that she can hang up and remember her favorite dress. Each of these books promote the idea of respecting and taking care of our clothes rather than treating them as disposable items to misuse and trash.
New Old Shoes
Charlotte Blessing wrote this book about the lifespan of a pair of shoes. The shoes begin their journey sitting on the shelf brand new at a store and are soon bought for a child to wear and play. Later donated, the shoes were then shipped overseas as a used textile, sold in the market and worn by two more children until they grew no longer functional. This book raises the importance of donating old shoes and wearing them out to their end of life. It shows that rather than sending old items to a landfill, they can find use and have even a second and third life with donation.
Next Generation
In addition to sharing with our readers about consequences of throwing away textiles, where to donate old textiles, and different programs around our world making headway toward a circular economy in textiles, we also desire to create this love of caring for our planet in the next generation. Caring for our planet and ensuring its health in the years to come necessitates the education of our children on the importance of doing our part. Education through age-appropriate books, recycling textiles, pushing for a circular textile economy, cleaning our parks and oceans, buying more sustainably, and composting are a few of the many ways we can keep our planet beautiful and thriving for future generations.
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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 can become paper money. As explained in this 
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 
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.
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 
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.
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. 
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?!