Recycle your textiles

Be ruthless. If you haven't worn or used it in the past six months, chances are you're not going to. Recycle your unwanted clothes, shoes, soft toys, linen and towels at your local clothing bank or a charity shop of your choice. Remember to tie laced shoes together to keep them in pairs. Bag other shoes to keep them together.

People in developing countries, and those nearer home, reuse all types of clothes. For more details, contact the Salvation Army Trading Company and other similar charities.

Some people have asked me what can be recycled and what cannot. It comes down to how worn the textiles are.  Those companies/charities that manage textiles banks operate under similar rules.
 
Really good quality clothes – charity shops
Good quality clothes – charity shops, third world countries.
Poor quality clothes – cotton/wool based  - used in the car industry and furniture industry.
Poor quality nylon, etc. – some re-spun back into yarn, remainder hand wipes or landfill
Really poor quality – landfill.
 
So if the quality is reasonable put it in a textile bank, but remember cotton/wool material preferred.

Here are some places you can recycle textiles.

Kent - All district websites include some rural areas

Ashford Borough Council

Canterbury District Council - Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay

Dover District Council - Dover, Deal and Sandwich

Swale Borough Council - Faversham, Sheppey and Sittingbourne

If you can find the links to the textile recycling banks for your local council please let me know and I will add them. 

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