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Going Green: Reuse and Recycle

victoria-campbe
Explorer B
The United States generates 26 billion pounds of apparel, textiles, and footwear each year, 85 percent of which ends up in landfills.  As colder weather approaches and we get our fall clothing ready, we often discover old or unworn clothes we no longer need.  Rather than tossing these garments out, consider reusing or recycling them in some way. Here are some steps to take to reuse and recycle old clothing:
  1. Take lightly worn garments to a thrift store.  Rather than letting like-new items go into the trash, resell them at a secondhand store.  Not only does this help prevent clothes from ending up in landfills, but it also gives you a bit of cash back for your items.
  2. Donate your clothes to Goodwill.  You’ll help out others and clean out your closet without contributing to landfills.
  3. Get creative with your clothing.  Maybe you have a pile of old t-shirts that you can make into a quilt, or an old shirt that can be used as a cleaning cloth.  Instead of throwing these items out, find creative ways to reuse them in your own home.
  4. Recycle your clothes.  Some retailers are starting to take part in this initiative by accepting used garments from any brand.  These items can be recycled into new textiles or be broken down for other uses such as insulation.
How do you reuse or recycle old clothing?  Let us know by commenting below.