What to do with old clothes and textiles

The first question to ask about any old item of clothing is not "where can I recycle this?" but "how long can I keep it in use?" Recycling is better than landfill, but making clothes last longer is better still.

The textile waste problem

The volume of clothing and textiles produced globally has roughly doubled in the past two decades, while the number of times a garment is worn before it's discarded has fallen. Much of what gets thrown away ends up in landfill, where synthetic fibres can persist for a very long time, or is incinerated. Even items donated to charity shops often end up exported or sent to landfill if they're in poor condition or there are simply too many of them.

The most effective response is not to recycle more efficiently — it's to use what we already own for longer, and buy less in the first place. But when clothes do reach the end of their useful life, there are almost always better options than the bin.

Step 1: Wear longer and repair

Extending the life of a garment is almost always the best environmental outcome. The resources that went into making a piece of clothing — water, energy, fibres, dyes, labour — are already spent; keeping it in use longer makes that cost worthwhile.

• Wash less and at lower temperatures. Many garments don't need washing after every wear. Airing clothes between uses, spot-cleaning small marks and washing at 30°C rather than 60°C all reduce wear and tear. See our clothing care guide for how to wash and store clothes so they last.
• Repair before you write something off. A missing button takes minutes to replace. A hem can be re-stitched easily. Small holes in knitwear can be darned. Local tailors and repair shops can fix more significant damage. Many areas now have community repair cafes where volunteers help for free.
• Consider whether you need something new at all. If you're buying to fill a gap in your wardrobe, second-hand is almost always an option.

Step 2: Donate — but do it well

Charity shops are genuinely useful — they generate income for good causes and extend the life of clothing. But they are not a destination for anything you want to get rid of.

What charities can typically use:

• Clean clothing in good condition — no major stains, holes, missing buttons or broken zips
• Shoes (paired and clean, in wearable condition)
• Bags, belts and accessories in good condition
• Bed linen, towels and curtains (clean and in good condition — check with the specific shop)

What charities generally cannot use: heavily stained or torn clothing, wet or damp items, single shoes, worn-out underwear or swimwear, and items that smell strongly. These should go to a textile recycling bank instead.

Step 3: Resell and swap

Selling clothes you no longer wear earns you money and keeps garments in use longer — a clear win on both counts. Options include:

• Online marketplaces (eBay, Vinted, Depop, Facebook Marketplace and many regional equivalents) — good for branded or higher-quality items
• Local selling apps and groups — faster and easier for everyday items
• Consignment and second-hand shops — some take items on your behalf and split the sale price
• Clothing swaps — community events where you bring items to exchange with others; no money involved, and often a social occasion

Step 4: Recycle worn-out textiles

Even clothes that are too worn, torn or stained to be worn again can often be recycled — but they need to go into the right collection stream, not kerbside recycling and not a charity bag.

• Textile banks and clothing banks. Often found in supermarket car parks, on streets and at recycling centres, these take all conditions of clothing and textiles (check the signage — some are for reusable items only, while others accept all textiles). Worn-out textiles collected this way are typically sorted and processed into industrial wiping rags, insulation material, stuffing or fibre for new fabric.
• Retailer takeback schemes. Several clothing chains now run in-store collection points where you can drop off old clothes in any condition, in exchange for a voucher or simply as a free service. The collected items are usually sent to specialist textile sorters. Availability varies by retailer and country — check your local stores.
• Council household waste recycling centres. Many accept textiles in a dedicated container. Check your local authority website for what's accepted and at which sites.

Textile recycling infrastructure is still developing, and what's available varies significantly by location. Check your local council website, or search for a local textile recycling scheme.

Important: textiles should never go in your kerbside recycling bin. Loose fabric tangles machinery at sorting facilities and contaminates other recyclables. Even if an item seems recyclable, always use a dedicated textile route.

Repurpose at home

Before anything leaves your home, consider whether it has a second life as something else. Old textiles are useful around the house:

• Cut up old T-shirts, towels or sheets into cleaning rags — they work as well as (or better than) disposable cloths
• Use worn-out fabric as stuffing for draught excluders, cushions or pet beds — see our upcycling ideas guide for more
• Use old cotton fabric as zero-waste wrapping for gifts
• Cut denim into patches for repairing other jeans

Shoes and accessories

Shoes, bags and accessories follow the same hierarchy as clothing — repair, resell or donate first, then recycle. A few specific points:

• Many cobblers can resolve or re-heel shoes that would otherwise be binned, often for less than the cost of a new pair.
• Some shoe brands offer their own takeback or recycling programmes — check the brand's website.
• Paired shoes in wearable condition are usually accepted by charity shops; single shoes or very worn pairs should go to a textile/footwear recycling bank.
• Leather goods can often be repaired and reconditioned.

Your textile checklist

• Before decluttering, check whether items can be repaired or altered to get more wear.
• Donate clean, wearable items to a charity shop — wash them first if needed.
• Sell or swap good-quality items you no longer wear.
• Put torn, stained or very worn textiles in a dedicated textile recycling bank — not a charity bag.
• Cut up old T-shirts and towels for use as cleaning cloths before they leave the house.
• Check your local council website for the nearest textile collection point.
• Never put loose textiles in your kerbside recycling bin.