Storage.com
Clear the clutter. Keep what matters.
Compare U.S. storage units for the furniture and seasonal gear you want to keep after a cleanout.
Compare nearby storage unitsAll materials
How to Recycle Textiles
EPA 2018: the US generated 17.03 million tons of textiles, with 14.7% recycled, about 66% landfilled, and about 19% combusted. Textiles are not curbside. Donate clean, dry, wearable items; use textile bins for worn pieces; trash wet or moldy ones.
13 materials covered11 recyclable
Cotton Clothing & T-Shirts
Cotton shirts, pants, dresses, and blends. Path is donate wearable pieces, then textile collection for reuse, export, or downcycling into rags and insulation. Consumer fiber-to-fiber cotton recycling into new apparel is still limited.
Learn how to recycle Cotton Clothing & T-Shirts
Denim & Jeans
Denim jeans, jackets, and related apparel. Wearable pairs belong in thrift or consignment; worn, ripped, or scrap denim can go to Blue Jeans Go Green or retailer denim take-backs that feed insulation and related products.
Learn how to recycle Denim & Jeans
Athletic Shoes & Sneakers
Running, training, and court sneakers. Best first path is donation and reuse. Material recovery exists in limited brand or manufacturing programs; it is not a universal any-brand curbside option.
Learn how to recycle Athletic Shoes & Sneakers
Bed Linens & Towels
Sheets, pillowcases, towels, and similar household textiles. Strong reuse demand from shelters; recycling rates for sheets and pillowcases were about 15.8% in EPA's 2018 data.
Learn how to recycle Bed Linens & Towels
Wool Clothing & Blankets
Wool sweaters, coats, blankets, and accessories. Prioritize reuse and resale. Recycling and specialty brand programs exist; home composting of finished garments is rarely appropriate.
Learn how to recycle Wool Clothing & Blankets
Synthetic Fabrics & Activewear
Polyester, nylon, and blend athletic wear. Consumer options are donation, brand trade-in, and retailer textile collecting. Claims of infinite chemical recycling via store drop-off overstate US reality.
Learn how to recycle Synthetic Fabrics & Activewear
Formal Wear & Suits
Suits, blazers, professional dresses, and formal attire. Highest impact path is career donation and consignment, not material recycling.
Learn how to recycle Formal Wear & Suits
Children's Clothing
Baby and children's apparel that is often outgrown before it is worn out. Prioritize reuse and consignment; recycling is the backup for stained or worn pieces.
Learn how to recycle Children's Clothing
Leather Goods & Accessories
Genuine leather jackets, handbags, belts, and footwear. Best outcomes are repair, consignment, and donation. Specialized leather recycling for households is uncommon.
Learn how to recycle Leather Goods & Accessories
Curtains & Drapes
Fabric window treatments and drapery. Reuse is the main path. Material type and coatings decide whether textile bins will take worn panels.
Learn how to recycle Curtains & Drapes
Wet and Moldy Textiles
Clothing, towels, bedding, curtains, and fabric damaged by rain, flooding, mold, mildew, oil, paint, or other contamination.
Learn how to recycle Wet and Moldy Textiles
Underwear, Bras, and Socks
Small clothing and undergarment items that are often overlooked during donation cleanouts. Wearable pieces may be reused, while clean dry worn items may be graded for textile recovery.
Learn how to recycle Underwear, Bras, and Socks
Tyvek Garments
Tyvek protective coveralls and accessories need a separate collection route from everyday clothing. Eligibility depends on the garment and what it was exposed to.
Learn how to recycle Tyvek Garments
Guides, tools, and research
Continue from individual material instructions to the broader guide, calculator, or research page for this topic.
Clothing and textiles
Donate wearable items and use a textile collection route for clean, dry pieces that are worn or torn.
Linens and towels
Find the right route for sheets, blankets, towels, and other household fabric.
Shoes
Pair shoes and separate wearable donations from clean, worn-out footwear headed to textile recovery.
Wet or moldy textiles
Keep wet, moldy, or chemically contaminated fabric out of donation bins and ordinary textile collections.
Underwear, bras, and socks
Check the collector's list before donating small clothing items, and keep every piece clean and dry.
Check a textile
Look up clothing, shoes, linens, fabric scraps, and accessories before dropping them off.
What donated clothes are worth
Goodwill and Salvation Army price ranges for used clothing, shoes, and bags, for your donation records.
Find textiles recycling centers
Search recycling centers by city or ZIP, then call ahead to confirm they take textiles.
Complete Textile Recycling Guide
The Fast Fashion Waste Crisis
Americans generate 17 million tons of textile waste yearly - 66% goes to landfills. Only 15% is recycled or donated. The average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing annually.
- • Donation: Wearable items extend clothing life
- • Textile recycling: Even damaged items can be recycled
- • Upcycling: Turn old clothes into new products
- • Take-back programs: H&M, Patagonia, Eileen Fisher
Environmental Impact
Textile production uses 1.5 trillion gallons of water yearly. Synthetic fabrics shed microplastics into oceans. Recycling textiles reduces environmental damage.
What it avoids:
- • One recycled cotton shirt saves 2,700 liters of water
- • Reduces pesticide use from virgin cotton production
- • Diverts 2.5 billion pounds from landfills annually
- • Donated clothes provide affordable options for communities
Textile Recycling FAQ
Can I donate stained or damaged clothing?
Sometimes. Textile collectors may accept stained or torn pieces when they are clean and dry, but thrift stores often want wearable items. Ask the specific program first. Never send wet, moldy, oily, or chemically contaminated textiles.
Should I remove buttons and zippers before donating?
No need! Textile recyclers have equipment to separate different materials. Focus on washing items and removing large hardware only if broken or dangerous. Clean, ready-to-wear condition is ideal.
What textiles should NOT be donated?
Avoid donating items contaminated with: mold, mildew, chemicals, oil, paint, or bodily fluids. Wet items grow mold and ruin entire donation batches. Also skip mattresses and pillows due to bedbugs.
Where do donated clothes actually go?
It depends on condition, the organization, and the resale market. Wearable pieces may be resold or donated. Other clean, dry textiles may be graded for reuse, wiping cloths, insulation, stuffing, or other fiber products. Some material is still discarded.
Can synthetic fabrics like polyester be recycled?
Some textile programs accept polyester and other synthetics, but fiber-to-fiber recycling is limited and blended fabrics are harder to process. Keep them clean and dry and use a program that lists textiles.
What about shoes and accessories?
Donate wearable paired shoes and accessories where the organization accepts them. Some textile collectors take clean, dry worn shoes, but acceptance is program-specific. Tie pairs together and keep shoes out of curbside recycling.