How to Recycle Camping & Outdoor Gear
Tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and related outdoor recreation gear. Brand trade-ins and donation are reuse paths, not material remanufacture of every item.
Quick answer
Sell or trade gently used tents, packs, and sleeping bags through REI member trade-in, Patagonia Worn Wear, The North Face Renewed, or outdoor consignment. Donate clean usable gear to scouts, shelters, or gear libraries. Composite tents are rarely curbside-recyclable.
- Recyclable
- Not curbside
- Typical value
- Quality brands retain meaningful resale or trade-in credit; damaged soft goods often have little cash value
- Donate / take-back
- Available
- 1Clean and fully air-dry gear to prevent mold
- 2Test zippers, poles, and waterproof coatings
- 3Repair minor damage before trade-in or donation when practical
- 4Empty all pockets
- 5Keep gas canisters out of donation piles; follow hazardous-fuel rules
- REI (member trade-in / Used Gear)
- Patagonia Worn Wear / trade-in
- The North Face Renewed Trade-In
- Play It Again Sports and outdoor consignment
- Scout troops, gear libraries, and shelters (if accepted)
REI Used Gear trade-in is for members and expects gently used, functional items for gift-card credit. Patagonia trade-in covers Patagonia clothing/gear in good condition and excludes shoes, underwear, waders, and wading boots. The North Face Renewed Trade-In is brand- and condition-gated. These programs are resale/reuse, not a promise that your tent becomes a new tent. Sleeping bags may help shelters if clean; call first. Moldy gear is trash.
Extending outdoor gear life through reuse cuts demand for new nylon, membranes, and insulation. Most composite tent fabrics do not have a household recycling outlet.
- Follow REI's retire-gear guidance: donate, swap, brand trade-in, then dispose
- Repair through outdoor repair services
- Repurpose failed tents as storage covers or play forts
Accepted
- Gently used tents with working poles and zippers
- Clean sleeping bags and pads
- Hiking backpacks in usable condition
- Camping chairs and coolers when programs accept them
- Brand-eligible apparel and packs for trade-in
Not Accepted
- Moldy or flood-soaked soft goods
- Pressurized fuel canisters in donation bins
- Patagonia exclusions such as shoes, underwear, waders, and wading boots
- Curbside recycling for tent fabric
Estimated value: Quality brands retain meaningful resale or trade-in credit; damaged soft goods often have little cash value
Donation
- Scout troops and outdoor youth programs
- Homeless service organizations (clean sleeping bags)
- College outdoor recreation programs
- Outdoor gear libraries
Manufacturer/Retail Take‑Back
- DWR / PFAS treatments on some waterproof fabrics
- Fuel residues in camping stoves and canisters
Can I put a broken tent in curbside recycling?
Usually no. Mixed fabrics, coatings, and poles do not sort with paper/plastic/glass. Donate if usable; otherwise trash or ask a specialty program.
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Recycling centers that accept Camping & Outdoor Gear
RecycleFind lists recycling centers that accept camping & outdoor gear. Open a listing for hours, contact info, and directions.