underwear Archives - Chicago Textile Recycling

Back to School

August 18, 2022

The time has come…that time of year when children ages five to eighteen, and sometimes younger and many times older, are making preparations to return to school. For some this is full of worries: Who will my new teacher be? Will I like him/her? Will I have friends in my new class? And for many this is full of excitement: I can’t wait! I get to see all of my friends again. Mommy/Daddy/Grandma always takes me back to school shopping. Whatever your children may be feeling as school approaches and these first few weeks of school begin, we are wishing each of you a great year. And as you head to the stores for back to school shopping and return home to reevaluate dressers and closets and stand amazed by how tall your child has grown over a few short summer months, we are here for all of your “no longer fits or too worn out” needs.

My! How You’ve Grown!

The days are long and the years are short, and children never stop growing it seems. Especially as the seasons change and your children start wearing pants and long sleeves, it becomes quickly apparent just how much they have grown. Chicago Textile Recycling accepts all children’s clothing and shoes, even those that are stained, torn and very worn. Here is a list of our acceptable items and the following are some categories to sift through as you reassess what still fits.

Pants and Shorts

Just like in our blog on Spring Cleaning, it’s important to have lists or categories of what to go through as you are cleaning out. The first textile it seems children outgrow are pants. Seemingly overnight they can grow another inch no longer fitting their entire wardrobe of pants. Similarly shorts can go from fitting at an appropriate length to being too short or too tight as waists expand likewise.

Shirts

In similar fashion to pants, long sleeved shirts is another category that can change overnight. As arms lengthen, sleeves that once fit down to the wrist can a day later be much shorter. T-shirts also can quickly go from hip-length to midriff proportions, necessitating a trip to the donation pile.

Pajamas

Closely related to pants and shirts, pajamas too can grow shorter and tighter over years, or even months. One big growth spurt can lead to an entire collection of pajamas no longer fitting. Back to school is a good time to sift through as seasons also change around this time and little ones will move from pajama shorts to pants and even fleece or flannel.

Underwear and Swimsuits

Another category to clean out is underwear and swimsuits. As bodies grow bigger and longer, these textiles can grow tighter and shorter, deeming them inappropriate to wear. As children move out of swim season and into Autumn as they start school, it is a good time to go through swimsuits and see what can be donated to those in need.

Socks and Shoes

Bodies grow in length and waists grow in circumference, and feet grow as well through the years. Back to school is a great time to reassess what size feet your children have. Typical of back to school shopping, new shoes are oftentimes purchased to complete the look so knowing what size feet your little ones have is necessary. When they size up, make sure to go through shoes and socks and donate any of these that no longer fit.

Outerwear

The last category to clean out is outerwear. Jackets and coats, hats, gloves, snow bibs and scarves, these items typically only last a few years at best as bodies change and grow. Quicker than we realize, soon after school begins, temperatures will cool and many of these will be needed. As you sift through other clothes and shoes, make sure to look through these items too so that you know what you need for the Fall and Winter ahead.

Back to School Shopping

After we clean out all of the ill-fitting and worn out textiles, it is time to get ready for the school year ahead. For many this means heading to malls or stand alone stores for new item purchases. However, this could also mean thrift shopping and consignment sales for barely worn and new to you purchases. If your children have grown a complete size up in shoes or clothing, buying everything new will likely require more than your budget will allow. At Chicago Textile Recycling, we strongly encourage donating textiles AND buying gently used textiles when in need of clothing and shoes. This cuts down on textile waste and environmental harm from creating so many new items. Read more at our blog here on why donating textiles and buying used is important.

As you complete your cleanout of children’s clothing and shoes for the new school year, please contact us to locate your nearest donation bin or partner resale store. And HAVE A GREAT YEAR!

Recycling

4 Unusual Items We Do Accept

February 28, 2020January 29, 2020

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

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

Undies

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

Bras

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

Stained and Torn Children’s Clothing

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

Pantyhose

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

Recycle All of Your Textiles

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

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

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

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

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

For more statistics about textiles recycling, visit this website.

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