Unless you’re the type of person who dresses up in heels and favorite funky pants for a run–of–the–mill trip to the grocery store, your pants–optional Zoom classes and the general malaise of social distancing might mean that many of the clothing items sitting in your closet aren’t getting much use lately.
In a way, this is to be expected; such a significant change in our everyday lives is bound to create some changes in our clothing consumption habits. But if you’re thinking about swapping out your rigid denim for more lounge–able athleisure, there are many ways to do this without creating a ton of environmentally–unfriendly waste.
Of the billions of garments produced every year, almost two thirds of them end up in a landfill, unable to properly decompose. So if you're looking to get rid of old clothing items, don’t just throw them in the trash! Even a ratty old T–shirt ridden with elbow holes and pizza stains can avoid the dump if you know what the alternatives are. Without further ado, here are the best ways to responsibly dispose of old clothes.
Repurpose or Upcycle
This might sound counterintuitive if you're looking to ditch your used garments, but in many cases, a great alternative to tossing them is to keep them and repurpose them into something else. Sorry, Marie Kondo! This is especially true if the item is damaged or low–quality (ex: fast–fashion items), since thrift stores would have a hard time selling it.
Some of the best ways to give a new life to old clothes can include upcycling, cutting up torn items and using them as cleaning rags, finding creative ways to mend inconspicuous holes, or embroidering them with fun new designs. Avid TikTok users will also know that bleach and tie–dye are totally trendy ways to hide stains and make a fun new piece.
And if you’re particularly crafty, you can also put your sewing skills to the test and design a whole new item, like @acteevism does in this viral TikTok.
Donate or Sell
While donating can be a quick and easy way to dispose of old clothes, not all donation bins are created equal. Chain thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army are actually facing a surplus of low–quality items, meaning that a great deal of their inventory ends up in landfills when it doesn’t sell.
Choosing to donate to local stores instead is a great option to avoid your items ending up in a trash heap. If you’re in the Philly area, check out Philly AIDS Thrift’s website for current drop–off hours at their store in Queen Village, or Penn Closet’s Instagram for an on-campus option.
If you’re not in Philly or just don’t want to carry your items across town, thredUP offers cleanout kits by mail. For luxury and designer goods, The RealReal offers virtual appointments to help consign these items. And, if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, selling gently used and high–quality items on Depop or Poshmark is always an option if you want to cut out the middleman and keep a higher percentage of the sale price.
Textile Recycling
As a last resort for those items that you can’t repurpose, sell, or donate, textile recycling is another method to keep your items from going to landfill. As an added bonus, stores with textile recycling programs will often give out coupons in exchange for goods, so you can replace your ill–fitting or damaged items at a discount.
For jeans and other denim items, Levi’s Denim Recycling program repurposes old jeans (from any brand, not just Levi’s) into building insulation. You'll also secure a 20% discount on a single item from their store in exchange for your contribution, including ones from their collection of sustainable goods that are produced using natural fibers and less water.
Nike’s Reuse a Shoe program takes old sneakers and shreds them into reusable scraps of rubber and fabric that are transformed into athletic recreation surfaces. Meanwhile, The North Face’s Clothes the Loop initiative accepts clothes and shoes in any condition and, through their partnership with Soles4Souls, recycles these items into usable materials for sustainable businesses. You'll also get a $10 credit applicable to your next purchase over $100 as a reward for turning in your old items.
Regardless of which of these options you end up choosing, you'll know you're minimizing your textile waste and contributing to a circular economy. And if you end up consigning your items or selling them, you might even make a few bucks doing it.
