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Useful webpages for knowing about recycling clothes around the world

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We all have clothes or textiles such as curtains, duvet covers and blankets that we don't want any more or are past their best.

But did you know that in the UK around 336,000 tonnes of our unwanted clothing gets thrown away every year?

The good news is that there are lots of simple ways to keep all clothing in use, and out of the bin.

Clothes and textiles that are in good condition can be donated and sold for re-use. This is an important way to minimise the overall impact that clothing has on our environment.

Items that aren't suitable to be passed onto someone else can be recycled and made into new items, such as padding for chairs and car seats, cleaning cloths and industrial blankets.

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We all have clothes or textiles such as curtains, duvet covers and blankets that we don't want any more or are past their best. But did you know that in the UK around 336,000 tonnes of our unwanted clothing gets thrown away every year?

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This blog will help you find the right way of disposing of your garments

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More useful information in websites about recycling clothes around the world

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Fashion

We're all guilty of chucking the odd ripped sock or pair of laddered tights into the bin, but what about a moth-eaten jumper or a pair of damaged-beyond-repair jeans?

With Brits sending a nausea-inducing 235 million items of clothing to landfill in spring 2017, campaigners are urging us all to start recycling our old clothes rather than throw them away - and for good reason.

Over the last decade, clothing has become the fastest growing stream of waste in the UK, and it now represents the fifth biggest environmental footprint of any industry in the UK.

Plus, the 350,000 tonnes of clothing that go to landfill each year could generate a massive £140 million if they were reused or recycled.

So how can we recycle our old clothes, and what do we need to know before we KonMari our wardrobes?

To answer these all important questions, we looked at the recycling options available on the high street and spoke to Catrin Palfrey, project manager for the Love your Clothes campaign, to find out how we can do more to help at home.

Recycling clothes: all your questions answered

Stylist spoke to Catrin Palfrey, project manager for the Love your Clothes campaign, part of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP), to find out how we can do more at home, and how taking our unwanted items back to the high street can help.

Where can people in the UK go to recycle their clothes?

"People can donate clothes for reuse and recycling through a number of routes. For example, this could be via charity shops or collection bags from the door step, at a textiles bank at a supermarket or the local Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC).

"Some councils will also offer a clothing collection service as part of their recycling collection. The best way to see what to do in your area is use the Love Your Clothes Recycling Locator, where you can pop in your post-code and find out where your nearest textiles bank is.

"Or, you could try refashioning or upcycling unwanted items."

Why is it important to recycle our old clothes rather than throwing them away?

"Globally, the natural resources (e.g. water and petroleum) needed to make products such as clothes are reducing. Repair, reuse and recycling reduces the amount we are sending to landfill, and makes use of resources already available rather than making them from scratch.

"Ultimately this means reduced levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere which contribute to climate change. It's also believed that better reuse and recovery can maximise value, create jobs and build skills."

Are there any parts of clothing that can't be recycled, such as zips or buttons?

"European Recycling Company is a SCAP signatory which recycles garments and shoes. Nothing goes to waste: buttons, zips, chains and rivets are all removed and sent for recycling.

"Even the dust generated in the process is compressed into blocks and used again in the manufacture of paper, concrete production or utilised as energy."

Where to recycle clothes on the high street

A number of high street retailers are offering in-store initiatives that aim to make recycling even simpler.

Recycling clothes at H&M

H&M has been offering a garment recycling service since 2013, with every item donated being recycled, reused or re-worn. The fashion giant collects clothes or textiles in all H&M stores worldwide, and if you drop in a bag of clothes to be recycled, the company will give you a £5 voucher to spend in-store as a thank you.

Speaking to Stylist, Catarina Midby, H&M UK sustainability manager, said, "We are one of the world's biggest fashion companies and this comes with both responsibility and opportunity as we have a unique reach and possibility to create change that few others have.

Currently 26% of all H&M products are made using sustainable materials and our goal is to produce 100% of our products using sustainable materials by 2030."

Recycling clothes at Marks and Spencer

Since launching their Shwopping initiative with Oxfam in 2008, Marks and Spencer has received over 20 million items of clothing.

Customers can leave unwanted clothing and soft furnishings in their local store's 'Shwop Drop' box, and these are then passed onto Oxfam to be resold, reused or recycled.

In 2017 the British retailer also launched a new sustainability plan, in which it outlined its aim to have at least 25% of M&S clothing and home products made using at least 25% reused or recycled material by 2025.

Recycling clothes at Zara

Zara began installing collection bins in its stores across Europe in 2016, and currently has containers spread across countries including the UK, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.

The clothes left in the containers are donated to charities such as the Red Cross.

Recycling clothes at & Other Stories

You can swap your unwanted clothes, textiles and beauty packaging in & Other Stories stores in exchange for a 10% 'recycling treat' voucher. Not too shabby...

Images: Unsplash/Rex Features This article was originally published in June 2017

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Sarah Biddlecombe

Sarah Biddlecombe is an award-winning journalist and Digital Commissioning Editor at Stylist. Follow her on Twitter

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Everything you need to know about recycling your clothes

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Fashion We're all guilty of chucking the odd ripped sock or pair of laddered tights into the bin, but what about a moth-eaten jumper or a pair of damaged-beyond-repair jeans? With Brits sending a nausea-inducing 235 million items of clothing to landfill in spring 2017, campaigners are urging us all to start recycling our old clothes rather than throw them away - and for good reason.

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Recycling in Germany

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Different trash cans Usually the trash is sorted into the following:
Biowaste - brown bin
anything that is biodegradable:

Restmuell - black bin
anything that cannot be recycled:

Ashes

Used diapers

Stuff you sweep up

Kitty litter or any other animal waste

Recyclables - yellow bag/can green can
Anything recyclable:

Empty food cans

Milk cartons

Soda cans unless they have the "pfand tag" then they get returned at the store

Yogurt cups

Plastic plates / cutlery

Plastic wrap

Aluminum foil

Styrofoam

Paper - blue bin
(sometimes paper is with the recycle stuff, but then you will not have a yellow bag or can)

Paper

Old newspaper

Cardboard

Any old mail (make sure to shred personal information!)

Garden Composters
Some houses come with composters. If you do not have one it may be a good idea to invest in one.

They come in different sizes and can be bought for little money at any garden center. Reason behind it is, you save room in your trash bin which means you will have it emptied less and in turn saves $ money $

The composter will be happy to take care of all your yard waste, like cut grass, shredded branches, and leaves in the fall or plants that died and turn it into dirt.

*you can also put kitchen and food scraps into it. Though I would not recommend putting food in it, since it draws rats and mice, but coffee filters are great eggshells or veggie scraps like lettuce.
Sperrmuell and More
Sperrmuell:

Is anything too big for the trashcan.

You should have a pamphlet with the dates or how to register sperrmuell, if not ask your landlord.

Now again depending on the area you live in, the community will have different rules and regulations as to what is Sperrmuell and what not, but here are the basics.

Any old furniture made of wood or plastic, old laundry baskets carpets, mattresses stuff like that

Any old appliances, electrical items, radios TVs etc are not spermull, but electric and scrap metal. There will either be a separate pick up day for those, or you will have an old metal collector coming through your village with a car and a bell.

Yard waste can either be shredded and put in your Composter or dropped off at the local Trash place or be picked up twice a year at your house, again that information is in your local trash pamphlet.

No matter where in Germany you live, as long as you live off post, you will have to recycle.

Now the complicated part is, every community has their own little recycling system. The best way to go by things is ask your landlord. Most likely you already have several trashcans outside your house.

But here are some basics:

· The German trash system charges the landlord by month and number of people living in the household, so if you use the cans or not, your still paying for it.

· The community also charges for individual emptying of the cans, usually only the one can of "RestMuell" non recyclable stuff.

· The recyclables are usually free to empty

· Your responsible for your trashcan

· Trash day schedules can be found online, at your local courthouse or ask your landlord

· Set the cans out the night before, because they start their days early and you don't want to miss the dump car

· There is also extra trash days for big trash like furniture, garden trash (branches etc) and electric or metals
Public Trash bins / containers
Old clothes / shoe containers:

Every city has these and they are usually run by private groups as the Red Cross.

Bag your old clothes and paired shoes in big trash bags and just dump them in there. Those items do not go into the "Restmuell"!

You will find those containers by big shopping areas or sports areas outside the town.

Glass Containers:

Glass Containers can be found outside the town, close to sports areas or again commercial areas, because people do not want to be disturbed by others dumping their glass waste.

Normally the Containers are separated by the color of the glass (clear, green and brown)so try to throw them in the right container, because one colored bottle can ruin a whole container full of clear glass.

You can dump any kind of glass in there, drink glasses, jars, picture frame glass or bottles. Make sure to unscrew the lids though.

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Different trash cans Usually the trash is sorted into the following: Biowaste - brown binanything that is biodegradable: Cooking / Food scraps Coffefilters Plants Grass cuts Restmuell - black binanything that cannot be recycled: Ashes Used diapers Stuff you sweep up Kitty litter or any other animal waste Recyclables - yellow bag/can green canAnything, Read More

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Recycling clothes in South Africa

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Many charities sell second-hand goods and clothing via shops. They're great places to pick up a bargain and help a great cause at the same time! It can be tricker to recycle unwearable clothes that charities can't sell but there are options out there.

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Recycling clothes in Japan

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If don't want to see your favorite old sweater burning in a landfill, check out these options for recycling old clothes in Tokyo

Whether you're leaving Japan, after an image overhaul, or your wardrobe has taken on Chronicles of Narnia proportions and it's time for a clear-out, you might be faced with the problem of getting rid of your old clothes. While you can easily chuck your used threads in with the burnable garbage, there are a number of more environmentally friendly options out there which might just come with a cash reward for the extra effort.
Take old but wearable clothes to any Uniqlo store
Since 2007, Uniqlo has been sending used clothes to people in need all over the world. Clothes are given to organizations that support refugees, disaster survivors, homeless people, pregnant women and single mothers, and so far the initiative has donated around 14.2 million items to 53 countries and regions globally.

If you have a pile of old clothes still in fairly decent condition, take them to any Uniqlo store and either hand them to a sales assistant or put them in the recycle bin yourself. They don't have to be Uniqlo brand but as it's kind of an honor system (staff usually won't check your bag), try not to include any of your antique underwear or that mankini you were saving for a special occasion.
Take any bag of clothes to H&M and get a 500 yen coupon
For every bag of old clothes you take to H&M, you'll get a 500 yen coupon to use in store. Clothes that are still decent will be sent to markets to be resold while the rest gets recycled for textiles. The clothes don't have to be from H&M and are accepted in any condition, though they don't accept shoes or accessories.

You simply take your bags in and hand them over to the sales people; they'll give you the coupon straight away so you can go off and buy more clothes. The catch is that you have to spend 3000 yen to use a coupon and get your 500 yen off but luckily you've made space in your wardrobe now so...
Donate your clothes to the Mottanai Flea market
The brilliant tight-wads at TokyoCheapo suggest taking your old clothes to the Mottanai Flea Market where you can donate bags to be sold at the market. Organized by the Mottainai Campaign which aims to promote sustainability and environmental conservation around the world, the markets are held in different spots on a weekly basis - simply check the schedule for where the next market is taking place and head on over. You can also give books and CDs depending on the market, and proceeds go to Tohoku relief efforts as well as the Green Belt Movement in Africa.
Sell clothes to a secondhand store
If you have a number of designer or high-end clothes still in good condition, it might be an idea to try selling them to a secondhand store. You can pop in to your local secondhand store and ask about their policy for buying old clothes or try one of the bigger chain stores - RagTag has several outlets across the city where you can take your clothes and negotiate a price for them, though you'll need pretty persuasive Japanese to get a good deal on that ill-advised pair of harem pants you bought back in '92. There's a way to send a box to them through an online form if you're able to read Japanese, and you can also arrange pick-up.
Bring your clothes to Mode-Off
Much like its better-known counterparts Hard-Off and Book-Off, donating your secondhand fashion treasures to Mode-Off involves going to the buy counter in the store, taking a numbered ticket and waiting in line while a staff appraises your offering and then gives you twenty yen for all 10 kilos. You won't pocket much cash but the reward is knowing that you've contributed to the potential happiness of a plucky bargain hunter somewhere.
Give clothes to the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army Bazaar Centre in Suginami-ku has a basic English page which explains their procedure for taking donations. You can either take in clothes to the center, send them by post or arrange pick-up (within a limited area) though it depends on the time of year as to what they'll accept. They ask that you call before to check.

Have you recycled any of your old clothes in Tokyo? Any tips for our readers? Comment below!

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If don't want to see your favorite old sweater burning in a landfill, check out these options for recycling old clothes in Tokyo Whether you're leaving Japan, after an image overhaul, or your wardrobe has taken on Chronicles of Narnia proportions and it's time for a clear-out, you might be faced with the problem of getting rid of your old clothes.

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