Americans discard about 103 pounds of textiles per person each year, and 85% of it ends up in landfills. The good news: almost all clothing and textiles can be donated or recycled, even items too damaged to wear.

What Can Be Donated or Recycled

All of these are accepted — even in poor condition:

  • Clothing (any condition)
  • Shoes (tie pairs together)
  • Linens, towels, and blankets
  • Bags and purses
  • Fabric scraps

Even items too worn to wear get recycled into industrial rags, insulation, mattress stuffing, and padding.

Drop-off Options

Donation Centers

Organizations like Goodwill and Salvation Army accept clothing donations. Wearable items go to resale; damaged items are sold to textile recyclers.

Textile Recycling Bins

Collection bins at parking lots, shopping centers, and community centers accept clothing in any condition.

Retailer Take-Back Programs

Some brands accept specific items:

  • H&M — any brand clothing
  • Patagonia — Patagonia products
  • The North Face — clothing and footwear
  • Nike — athletic shoes

How to Prepare Items

  1. Wash items if possible
  2. Check pockets for personal items
  3. Tie shoes together in pairs
  4. Bag separately if items are wet or heavily soiled

Reduce Textile Waste

  • Buy less, choose well — invest in quality items that last
  • Buy secondhand first — thrift stores, consignment shops, and online resale
  • Repair and mend — learn basic sewing or use local repair services. Repair events
  • Choose recyclable fabrics — single-fiber textiles (100% cotton, 100% polyester) are easier to recycle than blended fabrics

Resources