Used Clothes

Used clothes can be recycled in two ways. The first is to reuse as is, pass it along to a friend or take it to a thrift shop for resale. The second is to reuse the fabric, as in selling it for rags to a construction company, making a quilt, rug or other craft project.

So how do you determine the best method to recycle clothing? Personally, I think it is easiest to first sort the used clothes into two separate piles. The first for clothing that is not reusable as clothing in it‘s current condition. There are rips, stains, tears, loose hems, etc. Put the clothing that is in wearable condition in the second pile. Now we will look at each pile closer to determine the best method of recycling.

First, let us look at the clothing that is wearable. The first thing to consider is, do I need or want to make money from recycling used clothes. How you answer this question will determine your next steps.

Give It Away

Donate it to a homeless shelter, thrift shop or other local charity. For more tips on donating used clothing, visit the Charity Donations Page. Do not forget charities that do not normally take used clothing. Check to see if your favorite charity is considering a yard sale to raise funds. Run an ad at your local Freecycle.org website. You should have no problems in giving away clean usable clothing.

Now suppose you want or need some cash from your used clothes.

Sell It Away

How much do I have to get rid of? If you have bags and bags of used clothing, a yard sale might be the best outlet, as long as you have other items to sell with it.

Is the used clothing in season? Consignment shops are the perfect outlet for smaller quantities of in season clothing.

What type of used clothing is it? Is it high dollar, name brand items, or did it come from K-mart or Wal-Mart? Consignment shops and eBay are great outlets for smaller quantities of in season name brand used clothing.

Do you have formal wear? Definitely consignment shop or eBay merchandise.

Is it adult or children’s used clothing? Gently used children’s clothing is always easy to sell as kids outgrow their clothing so often, you are always looking for new stuff. Yard sales, consignment shops, eBay, and classified ads are all avenues to explore.

Once you determine the types of used clothing, you have to recycle, visit the Outlets Page for additional information on venues and specific directions for using them to your best advantage.

Now it is time to tackle the pile that is not in wearable condition. First sort out the items that have small, easy to fix problems. A missing button, seam rip, or just needs washed and pressed. Fix them and either donate them or sell them.

You will need to recycle used clothes with too much damage for their fibers. Here are some ideas to get you thinking of people that might want your items.

Paint Smock. As a 4-H leader I always kept a bag full of, too stained for general wear, X-Large men’s T-shirts and long sleeve button down shirts on hand for the kids to slip on over their clothing when doing messy crafts. At the end of the day, just throw them in a bag, take them home and wash them to get ready for the next craft.

Fabric. Many items can be made from recycled clothing. Quilts, hats, purses, rugs, doll clothing, pet clothing and probably about a million other items I have not thought of. If you know someone who sews, talk to them to see if they, or someone they know, can use recycled fabric.

Rags. To keep your ragbag stuffed with cleaning cloths, cut up socks and other absorbent items into the size you like. Store them in a recycled basket for handy access. If you get into something yucky, just throw it away, otherwise just toss in the wash and reuse it repeatedly. To make cleaning cloths I like to use socks, t-shirts, towels and worn out washcloths. Sweatshirts always look like a good idea, but personally, I do not like them.

If you have many damaged cotton items, t-shirts, yoga pants, towels, etc. you can sell them to construction companies or auto mechanics as rags (yes you can buy rags in the store and they are pricey). Check with roofing companies, builders, anyone that may need to buy rags. Ask, them if they want them whole or cut up, usually whole is best. Determine a price per bag and find out how many they want. This will vary, but normally you would sell them by the garbage bag full.

Buttons. Even if the clothing is damaged, you can salvage the buttons. Jars and tins full of buttons sell well at flea markets, yard sales, and auctions.

Decorative Trims. If you are pitching the clothes, save the trim, zippers, anything that is still good.

If the clothing is old, it may still be worth something even though it has some damage. If in doubt, contact a local vintage clothing store to see if they are interested or know of someone that is.

Make Paper From It. Ok, I have not made paper from used blue jeans, but I really think it would be a fun project. I have made paper from recycled newspapers and it was easy. Time consuming, but easy. If I get around to trying this, rest assured, you will be the first to know. I will be adding a recycled craft section, so come back later if this is something you are interested in.

There are many options for recycling used clothing. Pick the one that works the best for your situation. Remember, you do not need to keep it, just keep it out of the landfill. Happy Recycling.

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