5 Easy Recycling Resolutions for You this New Year

December 27, 2019December 19, 2024

In a few days we will celebrate New Years, and with each new year comes new resolutions to make positive changes in our lives. While brainstorming ideas on what you’d like to work on in your private and professional life, please consider these simple ideas that will further efforts made to keep textiles and other materials out of landfills and keep your home tidy too. As we mentioned in our last blog on the 5 R’s, “over 11 million tons of recyclable clothing, shoes, and textiles make their way into landfills each year.” If we all do our part in recycling our textiles and household goods, we can make a large difference in the care of our planet and its future. Here are five ideas to inspire and get you started or help you continue in your recycling journey…

1. Recycle Your Textiles

Though Spring hasn’t arrived, a big cleanout is not completely necessary to simply begin recycling textiles as they wear out or no longer fit. Recycling textiles is important because textiles occupy “about 5% of landfill space and the amount is growing.” (Read more here) “Consumers throw away shoes and clothing [versus recycle], an average of 70 pounds per person, annually.” This means we have a long way to go in our recycling goals and in helping the environment.

What You Can Do

The first and most basic step is choosing to start a pile for the donation bin or resale store rather than immediately filling the trash can with old textiles. Remember to donate ALL old textiles because those who sort your donation will know best as to what is recyclable and what can only end up in landfill.

Education about textile recycling is another step in solving this problem so spread the word in the workplace and in your personal relationships so we can move toward becoming a greener country.

For more info about bin locations for Chicago Textile Recycling, please contact us. Also, we are perpetually looking to expand our area with new bin locations, so if you know of a local business near you that could host a bin, please let us know!

Benefits

-Aid in keeping textiles out of landfills

-Sense of purpose in helping the environment

-Sharing newfound knowledge to aid in spreading awareness about the importance of textile recycling

-Gives others inexpensive buying options for their own closets

–Creates rags for numerous industries in their day to day cleaning needs

-Used as insulation/stuffing/sound-proofing/padding etc

2. Reduce Your Textiles

Another resolution you can make for 2020 is to reduce the amount of clothes you buy. Fast fashion is a large part of the problem why many textiles end up in landfills. Fashion companies are over-producing clothes to constantly offer new items for sale and using cheaper materials that give clothes a shorter shelf life. “One garbage truck of clothes is burned or sent to landfills every second! The average consumer bought 60 percent more clothes in 2014 than in 2000, but kept each garment for half as long.” Advertising constantly pushes consumers to buy these new clothes which also adds to the amount of clothes that consumers then throw out. Part of solving this issue is for the retailer to see their role in this problem and producing less, but the other part of solving it is for you as the consumer to send a message to retailers by buying less.

What You Can Do

The main step for this resolution is to create the goal of buying less textiles.

Another step to help you in this goal would be to go ahead and unsubscribe from retail store emails, cancel those retail credit cards, and limit the advertising you choose to view on tv and the internet.

Coinciding with the first resolution in reducing your textiles would be to clean out your closet and textiles in your home and recycle what you no longer need or want. If you think you may need to buy something new, instead take everything out of your closet and perhaps you will discover items that you forgot existed. Get creative! Look online at different fashion blogs, pinterest ideas, youtube videos using clothes you already have and get new ideas on ways to wear these items with other pieces you already own. You can create a whole new wardrobe with items you already have.

Benefits

– Gives you a better sense of what you have and what to wear

-Simply paying attention to what clothes are wearing out quickly can help you make more informed choices when buying clothes and being mindful about the importance of choosing quality clothes for the long-term over quantity.

-Creativity with your styling choices and ideas

-Dual benefits of saving money you can spend on other things, pay off debt, or save for future

-This leads to another possible resolution…

3. 30 Day, 30 Items Wardrobe Challenge

The third resolution is a 30 day, 30 items wardrobe challenge. There are numerous blogs about it and the benefit of being limited in your everyday options of what to wear. Blogger Emily Recker wrote about her experience here. Doing this challenge/making this resolution will help you discover what you own, what you need, and be more mindful of how many clothes you have. This challenge also helps in getting more creative, intentional, and easing the morning routine in drastically decreasing options in what to wear, which has been a positive experience for most people who have taken this challenge.

Emily shared that “the crazy part is—I didn’t feel frustrated or limited by this challenge–I felt freedom. I spent less time trying to figure out what I’d wear every day, less time picking clothes up off the floor (bye, clutter…hello calm), less time digging through drawers, and even less time folding laundry!” Doesn’t that sound dreamy: “less time folding laundry”? She went on to say she enjoyed the challenge, that the process was fun, and that she wanted to keep going after the 30 days were up.

What You Can Do

For Emily’s challenge, she chose to only include tops, bottoms and shoes in her 30 items, and to not count undergarments, pjs, and workout clothes, so it is up to you to decide what to include or exclude from your thirty.

Choose close to 30 items from your closet that are basic enough that they pair well together, and maybe one or two pieces that pop more or are busier if you enjoy more variety in patterns and color. Commit to wearing only these items for the next 30 days. Share that you are taking this challenge with others so that they can hold you accountable.

Place all of your other clothes in storage or simply push them to the back of your closet for the next 30 days. Who knows? Maybe these next 30 days will inspire you to find freedom in decluttering your closet even more.

I am an avid tiny house show watcher. I’ve always been fascinated by miniatures, and one of the things I hadn’t thought about before watching these shows was the amount of paring down one must do to move into a tiny house. This most definitely included your closet, so for tiny house homeowners, the 30 item challenge is not just a challenge; it’s a way of life. If you had to move into a tiny house, what would you take? What would you leave? Maybe one of your new year’s resolutions could be to take this challenge and see how it can change your way of thinking about clothes and textiles and how much you really need.

Benefits

-Have positive and refreshing experience learning more about clothes and how to pair them well

-Much easier to get dressed in the morning

-Less clutter, more calm

-Less time folding laundry

-Decluttering reduces stress

-Ready to move into a tiny house! 😉

4. Recycle More than Textiles

Though we are a textile recycling company, we are committed to recycling in general, which includes much more than textiles with items such as cardboard and paper, glass, aluminum, plastic and any other product that can have a second life. It is important to recycle all products that you can to keep landfill waste to a minimum, and help take care of our Earth.

What You Can Do

The first thing to learn when recycling is what should I recycle and how should I recycle it? Our local waste company, SWALCO has made this very easy by creating an informative flier with guidelines about which household items should go in recycling bins and other considerations such as cleaning containers and not bagging recyclables. Check out their flier here.

“In the United States, we throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour – about 42,000 per minute, or about 695 per second.” This statistic doesn’t have to be the case. Recycle the bottles you do use, and when possible, take your own reusable water bottle with you. Airports and other high traffic places have added water bottle refill stations to the already existing water fountains to make it easy to have clean water in an environmentally-friendly bottle while you are traveling or out and about.

Benefits

-Do your part in taking care of the Earth

-Gain a sense of purpose in recycling responsibly

-Know that you are recycling the right things in the right way so that more doesn’t end up in landfills

-Become a part of a community that works toward helping the environment and creating a better future for our planet

5. One Step Further

For those of you who already recycle items at home and your textiles, your resolution might be to go one step further in helping the environment. As we’ve mentioned before in other blog posts, we urge you to not only recycle household items, but to go one step further in reducing your carbon footprint. There are always new ways we can change how we live to make a difference for our planet.

There are many ways to make simple lifestyle changes that can affect the environment for the better. Small changes build up to large differences, especially when you help spread the word so that others also make these small changes. The biggest difference you can make is doing your part in recycling and helping Chicago Textile Recycling spread the word about the importance of recycling for everyone.

What You Can Do

As you unsubscribe from retail store emails with advertising that begs you to buy more clothes and other products, also contact those companies and stores sending junk mail and other unwanted printed advertising mail. Recycle what does come in the mail because “the majority of the 4 million tons of junk mail that Americans receive annually ends up in landfills.” Another interesting fact is that “the energy used to create and distribute junk mail in the US for one day could heat 250,000 homes.” By doing small things, we can help to reduce this number.

As the major shopping holidays are now behind us, we should be aware that “while the United States celebrates the holidays, Americans produce an additional 5 million tons of waste (four million of the 5 million tons consisting of wrapping paper and shopping bags).” As we look toward the new year, let’s resolve to lessen that statistic dramatically. Take reusable bags with you as you shop, find creative ways to wrap such as tea towels, cleaned chip bags used inside out, wordsearch puzzle paper, or simply recycled and recyclable craft paper colored by you or your children.

Go paperless. Switch all of your bill paying to online. This will help you save money by no longer buying stamps but also save unnecessary use of paper, and save trees. “On average, Americans use 650 pounds of paper a year. Each.” Also, “U.S. businesses use around 21 million tons of paper every year.”

Benefits

-Decrease your carbon footprint

-Feel good about educating others on how to do the same

-Support tree life by doing what you can to decrease paper intake and output in your own home

-Becoming creative in present giving

-Inspire others who see you out and about with reusable bags

Looking Forward to the Year Ahead

The idea of a fresh start for a new year can be a very exciting and promising venture. Regardless of where you are on your recycling journey, there are always new ways of doing more and new ideas on becoming creative with what you already own. Chicago Textile Recycling is wishing each of you a wonderful new year in 2020 and will continue to encourage and challenge you through blogs, articles and idea posts to make small changes in your life so that all of us collectively can have a healthier planet for our future.

Recycling Statistics pulled from this website

Fashion Statistics pulled from this website

Green Benefits

The 5 R’s

December 17, 2019December 19, 2024

“Although 75% of America’s waste is recyclable, we only recycle around 30% of it.”

In September, the Vice President of our company attended the S.M.A.R.T. 2019 Regional Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina. Over the course of the weekend, he attended a Panel Discussion with three leaders making a difference in the textile recycling world. One of these leaders was David Rousse, president of the International Nonwoven Disposables Association (INDA). During his presentation, David discussed plastics in the environment, the importance of recycling, and posted one salient powerpoint slide that takes the three R’s we are used to… Reuse, Reduce, Recycle…two steps further.

In his “Desired Path Forward” for the future of our planet and recycling, David calls for each of us to “Support the 5 R’s”:

Refuse – plastic bags, straws, cutlery, etc
Reduce – use of plastic in packaging
Reuse – versus disposing; may include repair
Recycle – into same or another product
Repurpose – use an item for something else

At Chicago Textile Recycling, we strongly encourage our recyclers to recycle their textiles, with us, or with their local resale store. And even further, we truly desire to see each of you go beyond recycling only textiles to eco-consciously disposing of all recyclables you come into contact with, from plastics to aluminum, cardboard and paper to anything that can be kept out of landfills by using one of these 5 R’s. “Over 11 million tons of recyclable clothing, shoes, and textiles make their way into landfills each year.” With “9 out of 10 people [saying] they would recycle if it were ‘easier,’” we at Chicago Textile Recycling hope with education about recycling and raising awareness, these numbers can change.

A few months ago, we encouraged this very idea through a blog post highlighting a few things CTR does not accept in their bins and how you can go about recycling those products in your area. Read that blog here.

Refuse – plastic bags, straws, cutlery, etc.

The first “R” David highlighted was to “Refuse” plastic bags, straws, cutlery, etc. When out and about, it is so easy to stop by a store and buy an item and simply accept a plastic bag upon purchasing that item. But David and those at INDA encourage us to refuse plastic bags. If it is something small, choose instead to carry the product(s) out of the store in your hand or purse after purchasing. Even better, place a few reusable grocery bags in your trunk, and put them back in there after unloading each time when you get home. That way, you are never in need of a plastic bag even if you’re simply making a quick stop on your way home from work.

Refuse straws and plastic cutlery by drinking with an open lid or also stocking your car with reusable straws and cutlery when out and about. Go one step further and bring your own reusable travel cup. These are small items that could even fit in your purse or backpack if you use alternative transportation getting around in daily life. Small efforts go a long way in helping reduce your carbon footprint. “According to a study done by the University of Georgia, 18 billion pounds of plastic trash winds up in our oceans each year. To put that in perspective, it’s enough trash to cover every foot of coastline around the world with five full trash bags of plastic…compounding every year.”

Reduce – use of plastic in packaging

The second “R” is to “Reduce” the use of plastic in packaging. Recently, we posted an article about how parts of Asia are reducing packaging by grouping produce items with banana leaves instead of plastic bags. (Read more here) Part of this problem is improper disposal. “The United States throws away $11.4 billion worth of recyclable containers and packaging every year.” The other part of the problem is simply reducing the need for this packaging with creative solutions, such as banana leaves for produce. “The amount of plastic film and wrap produced annually could shrink-wrap the state of Texas.”

Some ideas from this website on reducing your plastic use include opting for products in recyclable boxes or cardboard containers rather than bottles, staying out of the frozen section of the grocery store and buying bulk with reusable containers.

Reuse – versus disposing; may include repair

In our consumer-driven society, we often choose to throw away something when it is in need of repair rather than taking time to mend it or have it mended. A hundred years ago, this was not the case. Most belongings were made with high quality and longevity in mind, so when they did break or need mending, there were shops in place or know how by the general public in fixing these items at home. Many women sewed the family’s clothes, so when there was a rip in the fabric or a hole in a sock, repairs were easy and done right at home.

This newer proliferation of consumerism and the ease it brings in replacing rather than repairing has led to an overabundance of items ending up in our landfills when they could have lasted longer with a bit of loving repair. Our third “R” is “Reuse” – versus disposing, which may include repair.

Learning the basics of sewing can help many of your textiles have a longer shelf life at home and making good use of youtube videos can also help in minor repairs of items around the house. With landfills reaching their limits, it is increasingly important that we seek out items that are made with high quality and return to the mindset of repair and restoration over replacement.

Reuse and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is in fact an up and coming trend and has the potential to again become the norm. Bloggers, Youtube sensations, a peaked interest in DIY through the creation of Pinterest and small starter companies are pursuing this very idea of reuse in restoration through antiquing, restoring old homes with reclaimed barn flooring and original revamped antique pieces, reusing old clothes items in new ways with many other ideas of reuse in the everyday. As the focus on environment and recycling continues to grow, hopefully these interests of the upcoming generation will continue to expand the idea of reuse into the norm. The saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” rings true here as antiques and resale stores become a larger part of our consumer trend.

Recycle – into same or another product

The fourth “R” is “Recycle” – into the same or another product. Reuse and recycle are often confused terms so a simple explanation to differentiate the two is that reuse involves using the same product in its original form for the same or a different purpose. Recycling is a process and involves turning one product into a new product so as not to waste the material.

Recycling can involve numerous products, from cans to paper to textiles to plastic bottles, and much more. Some even make businesses out of collecting and creating art to sell with other people’s recycled goods. You can recycle paper down to pulp and create new paper or recycle blue jeans into insulation for homes. There are many ways that recycling companies have figured out how to create new products from older products with life still left in them.

As many of you know, the heart of who we are at Chicago Textile Recycling is about educating our community. Knowledge has been growing in the problem of textiles in landfills, and so has the pursuit of creating a closed loop of textiles and fashion. “Over 11 million tons of recyclable clothing, shoes and textiles make their way into landfills each year.” Donating your textiles to resale stores and donation bins is one big way you can give your textiles another life. The same is true of other goods in your home with regards to being recycled versus placed out by the curb on trash day.

Textiles can be recycled in almost every case, with the majority reused and resold in other countries. Other textiles are recycled and cut into wiping rags, and others are recycled and broken down into fibers to make filling for car seats, insulation and other products. Here is our blog about the process recycled textiles go through after donation.

Repurpose – use an item for something else

Already mentioned previously in this post is the fifth and final “R”: “Repurpose” your items for something else. There are many ways you can do this. Cutting an old coat down to a vest, using recyclables to make art, using old wood flooring to make picture frames or child size furniture, or turning old bed sheets into new clothes are just a few ways household items can be repurposed. Follow our page on Facebook or Twitter to read articles about different companies that are doing this very thing with textiles.

One example of this in our very own backyard is the Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago. Local artists have created sea animal sculptures outside the aquarium on display made from trash collected from our oceans. With a little bit of creativity, new purposes can be found for items anywhere you look.

wRap up

With a little extra effort, you can easily work these five R’s into your daily routine. Recycle textiles, bring along reusable bags and dining accessories, become educated in what to recycle and how to recycle it, and use a little bit of creativity when items in your everyday no longer serve their purpose. When each of us plays our small role in reducing our output to landfills, we can make a large difference in impacting our world for a better tomorrow.

All quote recycling statistics were found here.

Recycling Process

Recycled Textiles: Where Do They Go? Part 2 –…

September 24, 2019December 19, 2024

Two weeks ago, CTR posted about what happens to your textiles when you donate to one of our bins. (READ ABOUT IT HERE) This week we are focusing on the journey your textiles take when donated to a resale store, such as Goodwill, Salvation Army or your local resale shop. What happens after you drive up and drop off your bags? How much is kept and resold in store, and what happens to the rest? Where do they wind up next? This post will tell you more about where recycled textiles go once they leave your home.

First Stop – Resale Store

Just like with donating at a bin, it starts with you, the recycler. Marie Kondo or the season of Spring or just the overwhelming clutter has finally inspired you to go through your house and clean out the closets and dressers, your linens and shoes. You bag all of it up, and put it in your car, and breathe a sigh of relief that you have purged the excess. Next up is a short drive to your nearest resale store where you can unload the stress of too much stuff and feel good about your textiles living another life in someone else’s closet and home. As you drive away, you may wonder where does it all go?

Workers at resale stores first divide items into clothes, toys, housewares, etc. The next group of workers then goes through each donated item and checks for stains, rips, and odors. Clothes that are wet or have mildew are tossed into the trash to head for the local landfill as they are unusable.Stained or torn items as well as those that are out of fashion are bundled for recycling. Items are then assessed by what the store would likely resell and prepared for the store floor. Elizabeth Cline, author of “The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good” states that “on average, most resale stores and thrift shops only sell 20 to 25% of the donations they receive, and the rest is sent onward to exporters or recyclers.” .

Sometimes items are even chosen for the sales floor but after a few weeks of not selling, are then taken off the floor and sent onward. Each store has their own timeline for turning inventory, but all of them try to have something new to offer for customers.

From here – the journey is the same as those items donated to a textile donation bin. We’ve outlined the process here, but you can read about it in full detail in our last blog post – “Recycled Textiles: Where Do They Go? Part 1 – Bins”.

Second Stop – Consolidating Warehouse

Next stop is a consolidating warehouse, such as the one we have at Chicago Textile Recycling. For more information, visit our website.

Third Stop – Sort and Grade

The textiles then move onto graders to be sorted for their final stop.

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 1) – Reuse

Whether the resale store deems it sellable or it is sent to other countries to resell, almost half of donated textiles are resold to enjoy a second life with someone else.

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 2) – Wiping Rags

Our parent company, Wipeco, Inc. uses recycled textiles to cut into wiping rags and resell to buyers.

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 3) – Reprocessing

Many textiles are broken down for insulation, etc.

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 4) – Landfill

A few textiles are at their end of life and have no other possible stops but a landfill.

Taking Care of our Earth

Finally, Chicago Textile Recycling often receives the question, “What should I do with my items that are not good enough to donate to a resale store?” In every case, it is best to donate it anyway, even if you are unsure. Resale store employees are trained to assess if an item should go to the sales floor or on to a recycler and most recyclers purchase those items that don’t make the cut. Although these items sell at a lower rate than pristine conditioned resalable items, many resale stores are non-profits who rely greatly on any additional funds they can generate for the causes they initiate. Rarely will they refuse a donation. If you are interested in finding a resale store near you that recycles, please CONTACT US and we’d be happy to point you to one of our partner stores in your area.

Elizabeth Cline quotes taken from this article

Recycling Process

Recycled Textiles: Where Do They Go? Part 1 –…

September 12, 2019December 19, 2024

Have you ever wondered what happens when you drop off bags of old clothes and textiles at your local textile recycling bin? What do textile recycling companies do with your clothes? What about stained and ripped clothes? Do they shred them all for rags or donate some to resale stores? Where do they wind up next? This post is all about the journey recycled textiles take once they leave your home.

If you find yourself donating to resale stores rather than bins, check out Part 2 of this series that discusses the journey your textiles take at resale stores.

First Stop – Textile Recycling Bin

You’ve cleaned out your closet and your dresser, checked your linen shelves for sheets and towels that are no longer needed, and looked in the bottom of your closet for shoes that no longer fit or fit your style. After you have collected what you can and gathered them into shopping bags, boxes, or garbage bags, you drop them off at the nearest textile recycling bin so someone else can enjoy them. The driver then swings by on his route and cleans out the bin. And then what?

Looking for your nearest donation bin? Contact us!

Second Stop – Consolidating Warehouse

The driver delivers the collected textiles back to our company, Chicago Textile Recycling, which is a consolidating warehouse. At CTR, we consolidate the collected textiles into 1,000 lb bales and prepare them for shipment to a grader, which can be domestic or abroad. Volume is key in recycling as there needs to be enough similar type items for reuse or recycling to be viable. Collecting the maximum volume of textiles prior to shipping helps to reduce our carbon footprint and the cost of freight.

Third Stop – Sort and Grade

The next stop for your recycled textiles is to ship them to graders. Graders are located in the U.S., Canada or even overseas. For Chicago Textile Recycling, which is a member of Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (S.M.A.R.T.), the next steps are to “sort and grade the used clothing based on quality, condition, and type. Once sorted the used clothing and textiles are reused and recycled in one of the following manners.” (quoted from S.M.A.R.T. Press Kit)

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 1) – Reuse

If the clothing is still wearable, it makes the most sense and has the lowest carbon footprint for these items to remain as is and be reworn. Almost half of your donated textiles are sold in the U.S. to resale stores or are exported to other countries where quality secondhand clothing is in high demand. Elizabeth Cline, author of “The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good”, estimates that “the equivalent of 1.7 billion garments are exported out of the United States every year,” the majority of which will be sold as clothing. (quoted from the article below) Cline expounds, “the so-called developing world has become a bigger and bigger market for the clothes that we no longer want.” Due to this demand, Chicago Textile Recycling and other consolidators sells those items graded as wearable to buyers overseas and also domestically for reuse.

There are multiple benefits to exporting wearable clothing for reuse. Not only does this provide affordable, high-quality clothing to those in need, but S.M.A.R.T. also discusses the benefits of shipping secondhand clothing overseas, sharing that this industry “is lauded by many, including Oxfam, an international aid organization. Oxfam points out, it ‘supports the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of people in developing countries who work in trading, distributing, repairing, restyling, washing, etc.’ International trade is a critical component of the textile industry’s success. More than 60% of recovered textile waste is sent abroad to more than 100 countries, equating to more than 1.4 billion pounds of used clothing – creating hundreds of thousands of jobs worldwide.”

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 2) – Wiping Rags

Clothing that is not wearable, out of fashion or slightly stained or torn but made of absorbent materials can be cut into wiping rags. Nearly a third of recycled textiles are cut into wiping rags or polishing cloths then resold to janitorial, automotive, industrial, or manufacturing industries. Items such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans and towels are very effective for making wiping rags.

This is especially pertinent to CTR because our parent company, Wipeco, Inc. does this very thing. We have “2 hands” in the recycling industry because of this. Wipeco, Inc is a distributor of wiping cloths, so we see first hand the benefits of recycled textiles going back into use in a multitude of settings.

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 3) – Reprocessing

For textiles that are not wearable but also non-absorbent, fiber recycling may be their final step. These recycled textiles are reprocessed and then repurposed for things such as:

Furniture stuffing
Carpet padding
Home insulation
Upholstery
Building materials
Automobile sound-proofing
Various other products

Each of these potential uses of repurposed textiles are handled by different industry members that specialize in that particular reprocessing and repurposing. This is not a one stop shop for the end of textile recycling, but involves many employees at many companies that care about the environment and textiles and reducing landfill waste.

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 4) – Landfill

Some textiles that are donated to bins come wet, moldy or contaminated with solvents and are thus deemed unusable and unfit for recycling. These items must be thrown away and end up in landfills. That is why it is so important to clean and thoroughly dry your textiles before donating them. It’s also important to donate in plastic bags so that if others donate things that are wet, moldy, or contaminated, those items will not leak into the rest of the bin.

However, everything does and will have an end of life at some point. Extremely worn items with weak or damaged fibers cannot be recycled. Also, as mentioned above, items that are moldy or contaminated cannot be recycled either. When you face the difficult task of throwing away a textile at its end of life, you can choose to make the transition easier by following the method Marie Kondo teaches in her book and now in her show…thank the item for the life it gave you, and let it go.

Textile Recycling and Our Planet

Finally, donating to a bin is an important step toward reducing waste in landfills and taking care of our planet. Even clothes you are unsure of donating due to wear and stains, it is best to donate regardless and allow the consolidating warehouses to make that call of the item’s usefulness in the recycling process. That beloved stained band t-shirt with a small hole in the front may one day be inside your neighbor’s new couch, or that new minivan you are wanting to buy. When in doubt, donate and help create a better future for all of us.

Elizabeth Cline quotes taken from this article

Numerous facts of the recycled textiles process and a few quotes were taken from the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles press kit

Our Company

We are CTR

August 22, 2019December 19, 2024

Who We Are

Chicago Textile Recycling is a textile recycling company that promotes a mission to divert waste from area landfills by providing textile recycling outlets all over the Chicagoland area. We formally launched our Chicago Textile Recycling (CTR) brand in 2011 as a way to develop our program more substantially after many years of offering textile recycling services under our parent company Wipeco, Inc. Currently , we service over 75 locations throughout the Chicagoland area including our donation bins and partner stores – and that number continues to grow! We also provide fundraising opportunities for area organizations, businesses and municipalities. By collecting used textiles (clothing, shoes, and household items) for reuse and recycling, CTR diverts over 2.5 million pounds of waste from area landfills annually.

As the dedicated recycling division, Chicago Textile Recycling works symbiotically with our parent company, Wipeco, Inc. to provide a closed-loop recycling solution for the local Chicagoland area. Founded in 1960 and family owned and operated, Wipeco, Inc. is Chicagoland’s Premier Wiping Rag Supplier, selling recycled wiping cloths nation-wide and extending the life of discarded textiles through repurposing.

Our company is also a member of Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles, “an international trade association…promoting the interdependence of the for-profit textile recycling industry segments and provides a common forum for networking, education and advocacy.” (quoted from the S.M.A.R.T. homepage) Our VP Justin Woycke currently serves on the Board of Directors of S.M.A.R.T.

Why We Blog

We are a company that cares about recycling and works to provide closed-loop recycling in our area. We desire a better earth for our children to grow up in by tackling one small part of the enormous waste problem. At CTR, we utilize our digital platforms to help educate the general public about the textile recycling industry while also following the latest news and trends.

What We Do

Chicago Textile Recycling offers four different programs to our recyclers and customers. We offer a Resale Store Recycling Program, Consumer Recycling Bin Program, Laundry Discards Service and Business Services Program.

Resale Store Recycling Program

Often resale stores and charities are given more donations than they can sell, or they receive donations with small rips and stains. Big chain stores have the ability to sell directly to global textile recyclers, however, smaller stores may not have the space or volume to recycle globally in this manner. That’s where we come in. CTR works as a consolidator in the Secondary Textile Industry to collect excess and unsaleable shoes and clothing from over 50 Chicagoland resale stores that otherwise may not have space or volume to sell directly.

Resale stores are paid by CTR for all goods received, allowing them to financially benefit from items that would have otherwise been landfilled. We schedule regular or call-as-needed pick-ups and provide detailed reporting for store convenience. Please contact us if you know of a resale store that may be interested in this service.

Consumer Recycling Bins

Chicago Textile Recycling partners with area organizations, businesses, and municipalities who host a collection bin to divert textiles from the waste stream and generate funds. These bins are regularly serviced and expertly maintained by our drivers. If you are interested in hosting a bin, please contact us for more info. Reliable payment and detailed volume reporting are two benefits we offer. Another benefit that ensures quality for your business is that our bins follow the SMART Collection Bin Code of Conduct.

Laundry Discards

We at CTR work with commercial laundry facilities to recycle linens (sheets, towels, washcloths) and other items no longer acceptable for circulation. Clients include:

commercial laundries
hospitals
hotels

Transportation on an as-needed or weekly scheduled basis are offered as well as reliable compensation for what is sold to us.

Business Services

Lastly, here at CTR, we offer environmentally friendly destruction of excess, outdated or misprinted branded materials. Rest assured knowing your brand identity is safe and your items are being recycled responsibly. Chicago Textile Recycling is equipped to process 100% cotton t-shirts, 100% cotton sweatshirts, and cotton/poly blend t-shirts. We offer certificates of recycling and photographic proof of destruction upon request. Find out more here.

Because We Care

Through these four programs, Chicago Textile Recycling works toward closed-loop recycling in the greater Chicagoland. We care about the environment and creating a better world for the future. CTR works in many ways to help keep Chicagoland greener and encourages everyone to do their part by recycling textiles. Please contact us with any questions or for more information.

1. Recycle Your Textiles

What You Can Do

Benefits

2. Reduce Your Textiles

What You Can Do

Benefits

3. 30 Day, 30 Items Wardrobe Challenge

What You Can Do

Benefits

4. Recycle More than Textiles

What You Can Do

Benefits

5. One Step Further

What You Can Do

Benefits

Looking Forward to the Year Ahead

Refuse – plastic bags, straws, cutlery, etc.

Reduce – use of plastic in packaging

Reuse – versus disposing; may include repair

Recycle – into same or another product

Repurpose – use an item for something else

wRap up

First Stop – Resale Store

From here – the journey is the same as those items donated to a textile donation bin. We’ve outlined the process here, but you can read about it in full detail in our last blog post – “Recycled Textiles: Where Do They Go? Part 1 – Bins”.

Second Stop – Consolidating Warehouse

Third Stop – Sort and Grade

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 1) – Reuse

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 2) – Wiping Rags

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 3) – Reprocessing

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 4) – Landfill

Taking Care of our Earth

First Stop – Textile Recycling Bin

Second Stop – Consolidating Warehouse

Third Stop – Sort and Grade

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 1) – Reuse

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 2) – Wiping Rags

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 3) – Reprocessing

Fourth and Final Stop (Option 4) – Landfill

Textile Recycling and Our Planet

Who We Are

Why We Blog

What We Do

Because We Care

© 2024 Chicago Textile Recycling