Some cities are adding textile products alongside paper, plastic and glass to curbside or drop-off recycling programs. So, my first suggestion is to contact City Hall. If your city does not offer textile recycling, contact your city council person -- chances are, citizens have simply never asked for it. The California Waste Management Board website says that in some communities, textile recycling has reduced collection costs up to 15-20%, yet only about 15% of textile materials are removed from the waste stream.
Since the larger national charities such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and St. Jude’s already have a process for selling their excess materials by weight to textile recyclers, the California Waste Management Board suggests that communities work with charities to collect and recycle textiles. Individuals, too can contact their local charities to see if they accept clothing that cannot be sold for recycling.
Other options: Natural fibers (i.e., 100% cotton, wool, flax, silk, linen) can be put into the compost bin. Many of my customers use their sewing talents to reconstruct old garments into new, trendy clothes and bags. And of course, we can always recycle like our grandmothers and use scraps for quilts or doll clothes.
