Environmental benefits of donating clothes to clothes banks

The UK’s addiction to disposable clothes is putting even more pressure on our planet

“Did you know that the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is burned or landfilled every second? And right now, less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing, meaning 99% of all textiles and fashion are waste!” Stella McCartney

This means that if nothing changes by 2050, fast fashion will be responsible for 25% of the world’s carbon budget. Here in the UK, we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe and c.300,000 tonnes of textiles are either burned or dumped in landfill every year. What is quite shocking is that burning clothing is a manufacturers way of ‘cost effectively’ getting rid of surplus unsold stock.

So what are the environmental benefits of donating clothes to clothes banks?

The obvious answer is that it’s great for the planet! There is absolutely no need for clothing and household textiles to be put in the rubbish bin. There is always a use for even the smallest piece of cloth. By donating into a recycled clothing bank you can help fight landfill usage, create less harmful gases, reduce the demand for consistently new clothing and help make sustainable brands more popular.

Two good deeds are better than one! You could be saving the planet and raising money for a number of good causes. Donating clothes, shoes and household textiles is a great way to raise money for community projects and charitable causes.

Give your old clothes a new lease of life! By donating your pre-loved clothes you can help someone else get the benefit from the things you no longer wear. This helps people to buy good quality second hand items rather than new, which helps keeps the effects of mass manufacturing down. Someone else can love your old clothes in a new way.

Make more room in your wardrobe! Can you remember exactly what clothes are hanging in your wardrobe or has it been so long you just can’t remember what’s lurking at the back? Have a clear out and make some space – donate the items that you don’t want, need, or those bits that no longer fit! We all have those jeans we’ve kept, thinking one day we will fit back into them!

Facts that will shock you!

• The fashion industry is the world’s second polluter after oil. The production of textiles is a huge carbon emitter, releasing 1.2 billion tonnes of Co2 into our atmosphere.
• 80 billion items of clothing are bought every year around the world.
• People tend to buy five times more clothing now than they did in the 1980s.
• A rubbish truck of clothing and household textiles is burned or put into landfill every second.

What you can’t donate you can upcycle

There are so many ways to turn your unwanted or over-worn clothing into something else and give it a second purpose. Denim is one of the hardest materials to make, using up so much water, chemicals and labour to get that iconic look. It’s also hardwearing, so turning the pockets into little bags or pencil cases is a great way to get creative and reuse a fabric that takes so much out of the environment.

You could make some money for your own community projects

Here at Recycled Clothing Banks, we are constantly coming up with new ways get creative around recycling textiles to raise money that are simple and cost-effective. That’s why we work across the region with businesses owners, national and local charities, local authorities, councils, schools and other public services by providing branded recycled clothing bins absolutely FREE of charge, where your local community can donate their pre-loved clothing and textiles, contribute to reducing landfill and help to raise money for your local community. We will also pay you a huge £400 per tonne for reusable donations.