Looking for a way to recycle your clothing? Depending on where you live, there may not be any central place to recycle your worn out textiles and clothes.
So here are some create ways to re-purpose clothes that cannot be donated.
1. For Messy Projects
Stained clothing is perfect for gardening, doing car repairs, painting, and other messy projects.
2. Homemade Zero Waste Cleaning Cloths
Cut or tear your old clothes up and make them into rags for cleaning. I use a set for cleaning a spout on my espresso machine. Separate ones for the bathroom. And they even work as reusable and machine washable replacements for paper towel.
3. Practice Repairing
If you're new to mending at home, and want to get more out of your clothing, practice sewing or patch repair on these old garments. Even practice sewing buttons on so you don't ruin the garment you need to repair.
4. Make Your Own Yarn
If you are a knitter or like to crochet, you can unravel a sweater for its yarn.
5. Support Local Makers
Some of the brands we partner with upcycle items like scrunchies, headbands and mittens out of pieces of high quality natural materials like 100% cotton, silk and wools. Send us a message if you'd like to support these makers.
6. DIY!
If you want to make a fun craft project, try some creative ways to hide stains like using tie-dye, bleach designs, cheerful patches, and more.
7. Try Stain Removing Before You Deem Them Unusable
We have our highly effective laundry care collection for this problem exactly.
8. De-Pill and Fix Snags
Are your garments just looking a little ball-y? You can use a de-piller (that won't cut a hole in your fabric and battery free) and revive it to look good as new. It works on all materials from chunky knits, to silk. We have it in travel size and ergonomic full size.
If you have a snag on your garment, our knit picker will help you pull the snag inside the garment and again, make it look good as new. It works on all materials like delicate silk, athletic wear and knits.
9. Stuffing
Use the textiles as pillow stuffing. Perfect for older pillows that may have lost their fullness.
9. Textile Recycling (Last Resort)
Find a Diabetes Canada blue box that says “Textile Recycling” on the front, they accept everything as long as the items are dry or bagged.