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5 Fast Facts about Textile Recycling

September 8, 2021

Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we think recycling your textiles is not only important, but vital to the well-being of our planet. It cuts down immensely on waste at landfills and has an incredible impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Ready to learn five fast facts?

3.8 Billion Pounds

“The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average person throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year. That adds up to 3.8 billion pounds of unnecessary waste added to our landfills.” (quote found here)

Why do people choose to throw away textiles? Potential reasons could be:

Not enough information about what can and cannot be recycled (found here)
Easier to throw away (found on infographic here)
Resources for textile recycling are too far away

Each of these reasons are things we can work to eradicate together. As we educate our readers on textile recycling, we can all do our part in sharing this information with neighbors and friends and families, extending knowledge so more people know the profound and long-lasting benefits of recycling. We can likewise encourage and challenge ourselves and others to take the time and make the choice to recycle textiles instead of throwing them away. And if you know of areas in need of a textile recycling bin, please contact us so that we can provide more coverage for those who want to recycle.

Clean and Dry

“Any textile item, even if it’s worn, torn, or stained, can be recycled. You can even recycle a single shoe! Items simply need to be clean and dry.”

In our previous blog on “Textile Recycling 101”, we discussed our ability to accept worn, torn or stained textiles as long as the items are clean and dry. Even one wet or smelly item in your donation bag can render the whole bag or box unusable so please make sure each and every item is clean and dry before dropping off your donation.

And yes, though paired shoes are preferred, we also accept single shoes.

Decreased Need for Natural Resources

“Recycling clothing and textiles decreases the use of natural resources, such as water used in growing crops and petroleum used in creating new clothing and textiles. It also decreases the need for chemicals used in manufacturing new textiles and the pollution caused by the manufacturing process.”

In addition to keeping textiles out of landfills, recycling old clothing and textiles also benefits the earth when others use your donated items. Wearing used clothing and shoes or purchasing used textiles such as curtains reduces the need for producing new items. This cuts down on precious natural resources needed to produce new textiles.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

“10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by clothing and footwear production. This is more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.” (found here)

Overproduction in the fashion industry is a huge problem. Though fashion companies need to do their part in producing less clothing and make their products more sustainable, the consumer also has a responsibility in what they purchase. With such a large amount of clothing available in the world, choose wisely and sustainably in your purchase decisions. To cut back on greenhouse gases, consider buying used at thrift stores or in one of many online used marketplaces.

95% Can Be Recycled

According to the infographic found here at the website for Secondary Materials And Recycled Textiles, “95% of textiles worn or torn can be recycled.”

This is a HUGE reason to recycle old textiles. With 85% of textiles being thrown away, what a big difference it would make to instead recycle those items. Of those recycled textiles, 95% can be used again, either for reuse by a new owner, downcycled into wiping rags or broken down to fiber content.

Recycling Recap

Now that you know these five fast facts, what is stopping you from recycling your textiles? Help us in our mission to educate others about the importance and impact of textile recycling and share this blog with your friends and family. Have you heard any interesting facts about textile recycling that you’d like to share with us? Comment below on the blog or on our social media pages.

Textile Recycling 101

July 14, 2021

“A new survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that 62 percent worry that a lack of knowledge is causing them to recycle incorrectly.” (Read more here)

Chicago Textile Recycling is committed to reduce textiles in landfills, and educate our readers on the problems of fast fashion and ways to reduce waste when it comes to the textiles we own. Though this survey may have been more about recycling in general, we know that there is a lot of misinformation out there, so our aim is to educate readers around ways each of us can do our part in keeping textiles out of landfills and disposing of them properly.

What Can and Cannot be Recycled

“Twenty-two percent of respondents report not having enough information regarding recycling and 18 percent admit they don’t understand what can and can’t be recycled.”

Though each resale store and bin may differ in what they do and do not allow in their bins or at their donation sites, we have created this flyer at CTR to try and make it clear the items we do and do not accept. If you have questions about items not on this list, please reach out via this form.

Many big name resale stores, and some smaller resale stores, accept torn and stained and other imperfect items as well. These stores work with recyclers such as CTR and sell their items in bulk to be sold to other secondhand markets, downcycled into wiping rags, insulation, or other ends.

Helpful Tips

In addition to this list of accepted and unaccepted items, here are a few helpful tips as you gather up items to recycle:

Bag Donations

If you are bringing donations to our bins, they should be in bags easily able to fit into our bins. Boxes are likely too bulky and not malleable enough to fit into the opening, so it is best to use garbage bags when compiling your donation at home. If you are bringing donations to a thrift store, boxes would work as well as bags.

Torn or Stained Items

Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we DO accept torn and stained items. Although mended and unstained items have higher resale/recycling value and are preferable, we will accept those with rips and stains as long as they are not severely damaged.

Wet or Smelly Items

Lastly, we cannot accept textiles and donations that are wet or smelly. Please clean and dry your items before bagging them for donation. Items that are wet or smelly and anything around those items will most likely need to be moved to the trash.

Unaccepted Items

Chicago Textile Recycling accepts textiles and shoes primarily. We do not accept items such as movies, books, dishes, furniture, etc. However, these items can still be donated so please do not put them in the trash. Many resale/thrift stores accept used items such as these. We have written this blog to point our readers to other places that do accept some of our unaccepted items.

The Value of Textiles

June 16, 2021June 4, 2021

Less than a century ago, clothing was a valued possession. Mostly made by hand, it was expensive and hard to come by. Very well-made pieces could be passed down. Much of it was tailored to fit the owner. The few pieces a person owned were well cared for, washed gently and quickly mended to last longer. This is seldom true today.

“We’ve adopted a disconnected, throwaway attitude that extends into the laundry room, and it has erased our knowledge of caring for our clothes. I see wearable clothes in trashcans on my block on a regular basis. While sorting clothes, I see pieces tossed out with stains and small rips that, with proper know-how, can be tackled in minutes.” (Cline, Conscious Closet, p 211-212)

Is this a problem of the durability of clothes or the attitude of consumers or simple lack of knowhow in clothing care? It seems a little bit of all three.

Durability of Clothing

“How long should clothing last? We don’t often find out. Most everyday casual clothing like jeans, T-shirts, socks and basic knits can and should last at the bare minimum one hundred to three hundred wears, or three years of regular wear and washing.” (Wrap UK Guide cited in Conscious Closet)

However, many consumers never reach that mark.

“Let’s put that in perspective. We know from Chapter 16 that some consumers wear their clothes only three times, which amounts to 3 percent of a typical garment’s useful life.” (Telegraph article cited in Conscious Closet)

If clothing is made to last three years, what is the reason much of it is being worn only three times? Most likely it is the problem of overconsumption. If you have more clothes than you can possibly wear, much of it is not reaching its use potential. Articles of clothing are made to last several years, but amidst a closet of hundreds of items most likely won’t reach that potential.

“More durable items like suits, blazers, jackets, coats, and tailored dresses can last even longer, five years to a decade at least, if cared for properly. Whether you plan to wear, sell, or donate your clothes, we should each do our part to make all clothing last several years or 100 wears. Let’s get to it!” (p 212)

So what can we do to help our clothing reach its use potential? We can pare our closet down to items that we truly love and want to wear, and donate the rest. We can shop smart and only choose to buy pieces that fit us well, or that we love so much we would be willing to tailor and wear again and again.

Changing Our Mindset

“Another study of UK consumers, found that a third of consumers toss out a garment if a stain doesn’t lift on the first try. A quarter admitted to not even bothering to lift a stain, if the item was cheap.” (Vanish Article on PRNewswire cited in Conscious Closet)

In her book Conscious Closet, Cline encourages her readers to change their mindset about inexpensive clothing. Even clothing that is inexpensive deserves to be treated well. We need to change our mindset about clothing in general in order to make a difference in the problems of overconsumption and overproduction. Clothing, as Cline shares, is such an intimate product we use and should be cared for accordingly.

When we change our mindset about the value of clothing, we choose to care for each item we own. We take care to mend small holes and rips. We ask for advice on lifting stains and wash multiple times with care if necessary. We donate items when they no longer fit our bodies or our style or in our closet.

Clothing Care Knowhow

“A 2014 study found that the millennial generation, raised on fast fashion, lacks mastery of basic clothing repairs and laundry skills when compared to their parents and grandparents.” (HuffPost article cited in Conscious Closet)

In middle school, I took home economics. Though believed by many middle school kids to be a silly and unnecessary class, it was there that I learned basic sewing skills that remain quite useful as an adult. But how many kids take this class, and of those that do, how many choose the sewing center? Are parents teaching their children these basic skills or is this one more thing being lost amidst the age of technology? Fortunately with the ever expanding information found online, youtube and other video sites abound with how-tos for basic hand sewing and sewing machine knowhow. For those who didn’t learn from parents or school, a quick lesson is a click away.

In her book, Cline covers the differences in textiles and the minimal cleaning much of your clothing actually needs. We are raised to assume that all pieces of clothing need to immediately go to the wash after being worn once, but Cline shares that this is not the case.

“The fashion industry is peddling so-called easy-care clothes, while laundry detergent brands and appliance makers have automated the process of stain removal and cleaning, all with higher and higher environmental costs. We’re doing laundry around the clock, calling into question the idea that washing machines are saving us time. We can do so much better.” (Conscious Closet, p 211-212)

Reset and Change

Whether it is a quick lesson on stain removal, simple mending, clothing care or a complete change in our mindset, let’s work together to educate ourselves and each other around the value of textiles. May we choose sustainable and quality pieces, slowly building up a wardrobe that we love. May we take proper care of each item regardless of the price we paid for it. And may we always remember to donate our textiles.

Donating with R-E-S-P-E-C-T

April 21, 2021November 8, 2024

“One garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every single second around the world.” (quoted by Elizabeth Cline in “The Conscious Closet”, p32, originally from a publication by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

Many of you, our readers, have asked “Can I donate this?” when referring to items that are torn or stained or in condition less pristine than “gently used.” The answer is yes. Always donate items if you are unsure. Unless it is wet or smelly, please donate it. If it is wet, dry it and then donate it. If it is smelly, wash it and then donate it. As quoted above, trashing textiles continues to be a huge problem in our world, one with huge effects on our ecosystems.

To shine a little more light on this topic, Elizabeth Cline’s book “The Conscious Closet” addresses some of the very questions you have asked and highlights some tips for Used Clothing Etiquette.

Clothing is Not Garbage

“Many of us make an honest effort to donate our gently used clothes, but we’re confused about what to do with the pieces that are worn out or broken. Isn’t it disrespectful to donate these items?” (Cline, p32)

The answer is no. Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, and most resale stores, we want all of your used textiles. As noted above, unless it is smelly or wet, please donate. There are employees highly trained at resale stores and grading facilities that sort each piece, and those that are not resaleable can still be used. Some of the uses for worn out, stained and torn clothing can be fiber content for car seat filling or insulation or wiping rags for businesses such as automotive companies and restaurants, for example. Few donated textiles are truly at their end of life, but it is always best to allow the experts to decide. So please donate textiles, no matter the condition.

“The vast majority of clothes are thrown out before their useful life is over, which amounts to lost value, resources and landfilling fees.” (Cline, p 32) Cline goes on quoting multiple sources about the millions spent in landfill fees for trashing and burning textiles, greenhouse gases emitted by clothes in landfills as well as hazardous chemicals released by some synthetics. She continues, listing the immense environmental benefits from recycling and donating clothing. With donating clothing, she highlights some tips for offering quality donations and showing respect for those to whom we donate.

Used Clothing Etiquette

In her book “Conscious Closet”, Elizabeth Cline devotes hundreds of pages to simple steps the reader can make toward caring for our Earth through taking better care of our textiles. This can be done in a myriad of ways: caring about workers making our clothes, demanding clothes of better quality, keeping textiles out of landfills, treating textiles with respect, understanding different fibers and fabrics and more. After cleaning out our closets, she shares guidelines of etiquette we should strive to follow to make the best use of items we no longer desire to own. They include:

Clean your clothes, no exceptions
Remove personal belongings and detritus
Tie your shoes together
Mend and repair
Never leave your donations outside unattended

Clean Your Clothes, No Exceptions

The first guideline she suggests is to clean your clothes before donating them. This follows our requirements that no donations be smelly or wet upon donation. “Set-in stains are fine if you’re recycling, but odors and unwashed dirt and grime are not.” (p 31) She continues, “Do this out of respect for the dozens of people who will handle your clothes. Dirty clothes also might end up in the dump, as it takes secondhand clothing dealers precious time to wash them.” If you are choosing to donate textiles to help care for our planet, and you are choosing to travel to a bin or resale store, choose also to make sure your donations are clean first.

Remove Personal Belongings and Detritus

The second guideline is to “Inspect your pockets and the fabric and remove all pet hair, lint, dirty tissues, coins, receipts, and the like” (p31). This is done out of respect for those you are donating to so that they do not have to take precious time in doing this. It also can be for your own sake. Shopping for purses at a thrift store, I once came upon a purse that had around ten $1 dollar bills inside. This person missed out on precious money by not checking their items before donation. Other times, I have pulled on my own coats when winter rolled back around only to find a $10 or $20 dollar bill I had forgotten was in the pocket. Remember to check through your items before adding them to donation bags.

Tie Your Shoes Together

Thirdly, Cline recommends tying your shoes together when donating. “There’s an overseas market for single shoes, but those that are paired up are much more valuable and have a greater chance of finding a new home.” (p 31) Again, these guidelines are about respecting workers in the secondhand business and doing small things that make a big difference with our donations.

Mend and Repair

“All donated clothing should be mended or repaired whenever possible to extend the item’s life and keep it out of landfills.” (p 31) At Chicago Textile Recycling and most bins and resale stores, torn textiles are accepted and wanted, but repaired or mended items have higher value and more salability. If you have the time and want to offer higher quality donations, mended and repaired items are greatly appreciated.

Never Leave Your Donations Outside Unattended

Lastly, as we have said before, especially during this time of Covid-19, when many resale stores have reduced hours or are even closing at times for the pandemic, it is vital that you check with your donation site first to make sure they are accepting donations at that time. If they are closed or “the collection point is full, do not leave your items outdoors unattended. Clothing left outside might get rained on or become damp and then mildew. From there, it will be landfilled.” (p 31)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T and Gratitude

All of us at Chicago Textile Recycling are thankful for your donations. A big part of our gratitude is having those who donate show respect for our planet, for their textiles and for us by following many of these guidelines of etiquette and showing great care for their textiles. It is the heart of our organization to see textiles stay out of landfills and have second lives in the hands of other consumers, as wiping rags or as fiber content. If you have further questions about donations we accept, check here and then reach out for more information or to find your nearest bin or resale store.

Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do…

February 22, 2021

Have you ever heard the phrase “Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do or Do Without”? It is a popular phrase that became famous first during World War 1, made popular again during the Great Depression and then again during World War 2. Around the time the United States entered WW1, Calvin Coolidge is said to have created the phrase to encourage Americans to make do with shortages and rationing from the war. However, he “was quoted as saying ‘Eat it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without”. The phrase was later changed to “Use it up.” (Read more history here)

So what exactly does this slogan mean? During these three periods of history, “those that were able to stay in their homes…embraced the ‘Victory Garden’ ideals and raised whatever food they could. There was no money for items such as shoes or clothing. Everything was used until it just couldn’t be used anymore.”

What did this look like? “People darned their socks when holes appeared; aluminum foil was cleaned and saved for reuse; worn-out soles on shoes were replaced with pieces of leather or cut from old tires.”

Though it is a slogan taken from incredibly hard times of American history, it can teach current generations a lot about taking care of the things we currently own and reducing the huge problem of waste by refusing to play a part in fast fashion and the widespread addiction to consumption.

Use It Up

The original phrase began with “Eat it up” and was later made more popular when it was changed to “Use it up.” How can we apply this phrase to our lives today?

Use what you already have on hand
Eat leftovers
Make something creative for dinner from remaining groceries or staples in the pantry
Burn candles to the very bottom
Squeeze out all of the toothpaste
Scrape condiment and peanut butter jars
Fill soap pumps with a small amount of water to push up the last of the soap
Reuse boxes and packaging

All of these ideas will help the things you consume last longer, save you money and reduce the waste going to landfills.

Wear It Out

The phrase “Wear it out” is particularly relevant for Chicago Textile Recycling in helping to keep textiles out of landfills. When the majority of the population continues to throw old textiles in the trash and fast fashion pushes consumers to buy more and more clothing that they don’t need, wear it out is a directive that has become a thing of the past. So how can you as a consumer “wear it out”?

Take it literally. Wear clothes and shoes until they wear out
Make shoe repairs and simple mending rather than trashing these items
Recycle your textiles or trade with a friend so they receive the most possible use
Buy smaller amounts of higher quality clothing that will last in the long run
Create new items from old clothing, such as shorts from jeans, rags from shirts, quilts from baby clothes or favorite t-shirts
Use hand me downs for others or between your same gendered children

Make It Do

What does “Make it do” mean? If you own something and it has quirks that are annoying or it doesn’t exactly meet what you wanted in that product, keep it anyway and “make it do.” The problem of overconsumption and making things more affordable by making them more cheaply made has led to consumers simply throwing things out if they don’t meet their expectations. This has led to so much waste and landfills being filled faster than intended. What can you do instead?

Patch holes in your clothes or keep wearing jeans even after they get holes in the knees
Look on youtube for how to make simple repairs to electronics
Get creative with hot glue and superglue fixing cracks and breaks on toys and dishes, etc
Encourage your children to create new imaginary games with toys they already own rather than buying new ones. Use boxes and other recyclables to create forts and towns and beds for dolls, etc
Only grocery shop once a week. If you run out of something or need an ingredient you didn’t buy, look up substitutions you can use or get creative using ingredients you already have to create a new or one of a kind meal

Do Without

“Do without” means just that. If you don’t desperately need it, don’t buy it. If you already own two guitars, do you need a third? If you have 32 t-shirts, will a 33rd bring more joy to your life? Is the latest iphone really better than your current model?

If you have your eye on something new, wait a week before buying it and see if you really want it just as much a week later
Make new fancy recipes at home rather than going out to eat. Even buying fancy ingredients at the store is cheaper than eating at a restaurant
Declutter and get rid of things you don’t need or don’t wear. Donate these items to your local resale store instead of putting them in the trash
Become avid members of your local library. Libraries not only save you money buying books and dvds, they also offer classes like quilting, crafts, doing taxes and writing resumes that would save you money learning these things elsewhere

The Spectrum of Consumption

Though we are not in a time of war or in the midst of a great depression, the problem of consumption has only increased over the years. Landfills are filling up at an alarming rate. Fast fashion is getting faster and keeping up with the Joneses still reigns. In this time of overconsumption and great waste, we challenge you, our reader to be countercultural. To take a stand against the popular way, to educate yourself on ways to care for our Earth, and have wisdom on the products you bring into your home, whether textiles, food or anything else. Let us dare to create a new way, to again take hold of the words of Calvin Coolidge and indeed “Eat [or Use] it up, Wear it out, Make it do or Do without.”

The Fate of Fabric Through the Years

October 9, 2020November 13, 2024

Have you ever wondered when resale and charity shops began? What need necessitated their foundation as well as the foundation of textile recycling? And how did they grow to where they are today? This blog aims to answer some of those questions behind the history of resale in our country and the needs it fills in our modern day.

History of Resale

While donating to the poor dates back millenia, the idea of owning too much stuff and donating one’s excess belongings dates back at least two centuries. In the early to mid-1800s,

“Rag and bone men would travel through city streets on foot, usually carrying a large bag over their shoulder. They rarely had any form of transport and were generally very poor people trying to eke out a living from collecting anything that they thought might have a resale value such as old rags, cloth, bones and metal.”

In regards to the resale of cloth, “if the rag gatherer could collect (and dry) decent white rag in good condition, he could sell it to local cloth traders for around 2 to 3 pence per pound, with coloured cloth fetching about 2 pence per pound.” This idea of cleaning and reselling wiping rags for profit is what inspired many companies, such as Wipeco, Inc. into what we are today. For more history of rag and bone men, read here.

In February 1932, an article was published stating “the average American home had fifteen dollars’ worth of unused goods in the attic, and to most Americans those unused items were a ‘burden, contributing nothing to their welfare or happiness.” (Minter, “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale”, p 49) Since then, overconsumption and the need for donation centers has grown tenfold.

Other resale outlets started around the same time as rag and bone men. In 1865, “the Salvation Army was founded to evangelize to the urban poor of London” (Minter, p 50). It began by employing “the city’s indigent to collect, repair, and sell unwanted goods.” By 1897, it had expanded to New York.

Around the same time, Goodwill began when “the Reverend Edgar James Helms took over Boston’s Methodist Morgan Chapel and began a program to collect and repair clothes in local neighborhoods.” (Minter, p 50) The organization passed out burlap coffee bags to collect items from locals, which were later renamed “goodwill” bags. This led to the name of the present day organization.

Over the last two centuries, resale stores have sprouted up all around the world, each with its own mission to support local charities and nonprofit organizations serving those in need.

A number of these resale and thrift stores were founded by evangelicals to reach out to the poor in both converting them to Christianity AND serving their basic needs. Today, many resale programs remain true to this mission of being Church-led outreach oriented while many more have been borne from secular or other religious programs focusing on serving the needs of those in their communities.

Resale Today

So what does resale look like today? What missions do resale stores serve, and how do they reach these missions?

In his book, Minter states that Goodwill is “a crucial civic institution.” (p 52) Though he is talking specifically about Goodwill, this is true of all nonprofit mission-oriented resale organizations. From job training to furthering education in communities to caring for the homeless and the poor to providing much needed jobs, the entire resale industry is one that is vital to our country.

While larger resale chain stores serve missions previously discussed, smaller locally-owned resale stores have a variety of missions and populations they aim to help as well. When researching these stores in the Chicagoland area, some of the missions that came up were: providing therapeutic care for children who have suffered abuse or neglect, serving the extreme poor in Chicago, a stepping stone for those coming out of incarceration or substance abuse, funding care for the uninsured and under-insured, serving families in need, and supporting HIV/Aids testing.

From helping the environment to decreasing waste to supporting those in need, the benefits of buying secondhand go on and on. Chicago Textile Recycling works in conjunction with local resale stores in pursuing those missions they serve.

History of Chicago Textile Recycling

For the last sixty years, Wipeco, Inc. has accepted textile donations, recycling them, and selling used textiles as wipers for janitorial and sanitation supplies throughout Chicagoland. In the 1980’s our sister company CTC Supplies (formerly Continental Textile Company) opened as a full-service textile grader in Milwaukee. With over 60 employees, Continental Textile Company sorted hundreds of thousands of pounds of used clothing annually. Wipeco, Inc. worked in tandem with this company by purchasing and cutting wiping-cloth grade items and selling them to manufacturing facilities.

After years of successful operations, Continental Textile Company was forced to change direction as the global economy advanced and costs of high labor and being far from international ports made it no longer finally advantageous to operate. The company rebranded to CTC supplies and began focusing on wiping rag sales and used clothing consolidation and brokerage. CTC shut down the majority of the grading operation, and Wipeco, Inc. stopped a bulk of the cutting, focusing instead on packaging and distribution of wiping cloths. During this time, Wipeco continued to maintain a small resale store pickup program and a laundry recycling program.

Chicago Textile Recycling Today

In 2012, the collection side of operations picked back up with the creation of “Chicago Textile Recycling.” For the past eight years, we have grown to consolidate donations from over 40 local resale stores and service various textile collection bins through the Chicagoland area.

“Chicago Textile Recycling provides textile recycling outlets and fundraising opportunities for area organizations, businesses and municipalities. By collecting used clothing, shoes, and household items for reuse and recycling, Chicago Textile Recycling diverts over 2.5 million pounds of waste from area landfills annually.”

Chicago Textile Recycling contributes to local resale stores in their pursuit to support local organizations and missions through consolidation and helps to educate the general public on the importance of textile recycling to benefit our planet and keep textiles out of landfills.

The Future of Textile Recycling and CTR

As awareness continues to grow around the problems of fast fashion and improperly disposing of textiles, many are attempting to create solutions in the industry and raise awareness so that the general public can be a part of the solution. From designers utilizing fabric scraps to entrepreneurs and inventors creating machines to recycle textiles into new fabrics to volunteers pushing toward cleanups and recycling education, the future of textile recycling appears bright.

New companies and programs are growing daily to educate and promote resale over disposal of worn clothing, and as the general public grows in awareness around the options for recycling their textiles, there is much hope that fewer and fewer will be sent to landfills. This awareness helps to further our mission to support local resale, create wiping rags for manufacturing facilities and educate the public around the benefits to our planet of recycling textiles.

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.

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.

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.

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.

3.8 Billion Pounds

Clean and Dry

Decreased Need for Natural Resources

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

95% Can Be Recycled

Recycling Recap

What Can and Cannot be Recycled

Helpful Tips

Bag Donations

Torn or Stained Items

Wet or Smelly Items

Unaccepted Items

Other Questions

Durability of Clothing

Changing Our Mindset

Clothing Care Knowhow

Reset and Change

Clothing is Not Garbage

Used Clothing Etiquette

Clean Your Clothes, No Exceptions

Remove Personal Belongings and Detritus

Tie Your Shoes Together

Mend and Repair

Never Leave Your Donations Outside Unattended

R-E-S-P-E-C-T and Gratitude

Use It Up

Wear It Out

Make It Do

Do Without

The Spectrum of Consumption

History of Resale

Resale Today

History of Chicago Textile Recycling

Chicago Textile Recycling Today

The Future of Textile Recycling and CTR

Paired Shoes – Shoes That CTR Accepts

Making Smart Shoe Purchases

True Shoe Recycling

Recycle, Not Trash

Stuffed Toys & Pillows

T-Shirts, Sheets, Towels & Clothing

Denim

Shoe Soles

Sweaters & Coats

Curtains & Drapes

Wool Sweater & Materials

Velvet Materials

Leftover Fabric Scraps

Donate

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

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