Textiles
Shoes
trainers, sneakers, footwear, old shoes, boots
Can you recycle?
Sometimes
Sometimes — shoes can't go in your curbside bin. Donate wearable pairs, or use a shoe bank or brand take-back for worn ones.
How to prepare
1. Clean off any dirt and let shoes dry. 2. Pair them up and tie the laces together. 3. Donate wearable pairs to charity shops or shoe banks. 4. Take worn-out shoes to a shoe-recycling bank or brand take-back point.
Common mistakes
Putting shoes in the curbside recycling bin. Throwing away worn shoes when shoe banks accept them. Donating odd, dirty, or badly damaged pairs that can't be reused.
What happens after you recycle it?
Recycled shoes are shredded into materials for running tracks, playground surfaces, and gym flooring, while donated pairs are worn again.
Drop-off guidance
Charity shops, shoe banks, and brand take-back schemes accept shoes — wearable pairs are resold or redistributed, and worn ones are recycled into playground and sports surfaces.
FAQs
Can I recycle shoes?
Not in your home bin, but yes through shoe banks and brand take-back. Donate wearable pairs and recycle worn ones.
Where can I recycle shoes near me?
Use the lookup above to find charity shops, shoe banks, and brand take-back points near you.
Is it free to recycle shoes?
Yes. Donating and shoe-bank drop-off are free to use.
Can I get paid to recycle shoes?
You can sell good-condition shoes secondhand, and some brands offer store credit for take-back; recycling worn pairs is free.
