Textiles
Clothes
textiles, clothing, old clothes, garments, used clothing
Can you recycle?
Sometimes
Sometimes — clothes can't go in your curbside bin, but you can donate wearable items or take worn ones to a textile recycling point.
How to prepare
1. Wash and dry clothes before donating or recycling. 2. Donate clean, wearable items to charity shops or clothing banks. 3. Bag textiles together so they stay clean and dry. 4. Take worn or damaged clothes to a textile recycling bank — even these are accepted.
Common mistakes
Putting textiles in the curbside recycling bin, where they tangle sorting machines. Throwing away worn clothes when even damaged textiles can be recycled. Donating dirty or damp items, which get rejected.
What happens after you recycle it?
Recycled textiles become cleaning cloths, furniture padding, and building insulation, while donated clothes get a second life through resale and reuse.
Drop-off guidance
Charity shops, clothing banks, and textile recycling points accept clothes in all conditions — wearable items are resold, and worn ones are recycled into rags, stuffing, and insulation. Many retailers run in-store take-back schemes.
FAQs
Can I recycle clothes?
Not in your home bin, but yes through textile recycling. Donate wearable clothes and take worn ones to a textile bank, where they're recycled into rags and insulation.
Where can I recycle clothes near me?
Use the lookup above to find charity shops, clothing banks, and textile recycling points near you.
Is it free to recycle clothes?
Yes. Donating and textile drop-off points are free to use.
Can I get paid to recycle clothes?
You can sell good-quality clothes secondhand or at kilo sales; textile recycling itself doesn't pay, but it's free.
