Clothing & Textiles includes:
Jumpers & Jackets Socks & Underwear Textiles T-shirts & Shirts Uniforms Hats Bags Jewellery Dresses & Skirts Puffer jackets Coats Belts Pants & Trousers Shorts Vests Scarves Jeans Overalls

 

 

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How to recycle clothes

Clothes in good condition

If your clothes are in good condition (i.e. you would be comfortable giving them to a friend), you can donate them to a charity shop so they can be reused. You could also sell them on an online marketplace such as Depop or Facebook Marketplace.

 

Passing them on to be used again is a far better outcome for the clothes than recycling because it keeps the materials in use at their highest value. Find out more about charity shops including what items they accept.

 

Worn, damaged and unsaleable clothing

Some organisations accept worn, damaged and unsaleable clothing (even underwear!) which are recycled into industrial rags or other textile by-products. 

 

·      UPPAREL (formerly Manrags) has a home collection service that accepts clothing (in any condition), shoes, linen, and other textiles for a fee. All items are reused, repurposed, or recycled in Australia. 

·      RCYCL accepts unwanted clothing in any condition for recycling, however, there is a fee. To use the service, purchase a mail bag from their website and send them your unwanted clothing through the mail.

·      Textile Recyclers Australia has a home collection service that accepts clothing in any condition for a fee. They also accept underwear for recycling. The clothing will be cleaned and shredded, and the fibres will be turned into yarn.

·      After offers a home collection service (Sydney and Melbourne) for used and unwearable clothing for a fee. The clothing is sent to its textile recycling partners for recycling into new materials and products.

·      The Brotherhood of St Laurence stores in Melbourne accept unwearable garments that are passed onto Melbourne Cleaning Cloths.

·      Bloom Op Shop in Brisbane accepts clothing and textile donations in any condition. Clothing and textiles (including scraps and offcuts) that are not in good enough condition to be sold in the store are passed onto textile recyclers.

·      Clothing retailer H&M has a free recycling program in select stores for all kinds of clothing and textiles in any condition. 

·      Zara has a free textile collection program in select stores for all kinds of clothing and textiles in any condition (including shoes, linen, and accessories).

·      UNIQLO has a free recycling program for its own branded clothing in any condition. Collection bins are located in stores.

·      Patagonia has a trade-in program for its own pre-loved clothing where customers can return their worn-out or damaged clothing for store credit. Any clothes that can be repaired are mended and sold in Patagonia's secondhand shop.

·      Underwear for Humanity has a recycling program for its customers for underwear and bras. They will recycle other brands if you purchase their underwear first.

·      Kathmandu has partnered with UPPAREL to provide its customers with textile recycling bins in 16 stores in Melbourne. Old and damaged clothing are accepted. The bins are primarily for Kathmandu branded clothing, however, they will accept other brands.

 

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Shoes

Shoes should never be put in your household recycling bin. If they are in good condition they can be donated to charity shops.

 

If the below programs are not suitable for you, unfortunately, the shoes should be put in your rubbish bin.

 

·      Bared Footwear has partnered with Save Our Soles to provide recycling drop-off points for shoes at their stores. All brands are accepted. Save Our Soles recycles tyres and shoes into rubber mats.

·      Totally Workwear has a take-back recycling program for workboots. Customers can recycle their old workboots at participating stores if they purchase a new pair of shoes.

·      Zara has a recycling program that accepts shoes (and other textiles) in any condition.

·      Upparel (formerly Manrags) has a home collection recycling service that accepts shoes in any condition (as well as other textiles) for a fee.

 

Sports shoes

·      Shoes for Planet Earth is a not-for-profit organisation that works with local and international communities and companies to provide reused running shoes to those in need around the world. They have drop-off locations in NSW, Victoria, and Queensland. As well as running shoes, they also accept insoles and spare laces. Shoes with broken soles or holes are not accepted.

·      TreadLightly is a national recycling initiative that recycles unwanted sport and active lifestyle footwear. Recycling drop-off points are located at various shoe shops. Visit TreadLightly to find a location near you. 

 

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Quilt covers, sheets and towels

 

Reuse options

Old towels and sheets are often needed by animal shelters and vets. Contact your local shelter or vet to see if they will accept them.

 

Some mechanics may accept old towels, clothing, sheets and other textiles so they can use them as rags. Contact your local mechanic to see if they will accept them.

 

Recycling options

Retailer Sheridan accepts any brand of pre-loved quilt covers, sheets and towels for recycling. Collection bins can be found at Sheridan Boutique, Studio, or Outlet stores.

If you are unable to find a reuse or recycling option for your items, unfortunately, they should be put in your garbage bin.

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Give a Sheet for the Planet partners with councils around Australia to help their residents recycle old sheets, towels, pillowcases, quilt covers and linen (items must be clean). Visit the website to see if there is an event coming up in your area so you can drop off your unwanted linen for recycling.

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Pillows and doonas

Animal shelters and vets can't accept old pillows and doonas for health and safety reasons. These items should not be put in your household recycling bin, so they must be put in your rubbish bin.

 

Some charity shops may accept doonas and duvets - always call in advance to check before dropping them off. 

 

GoKindly offers a recycling program for its customers (other brands are not accepted). A postage fee is charged for recycling old pillows. The fabric from the pillow is recycled into yarn.  

 

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Uniforms

 

Old work uniforms

Australian businesses have a responsibility to take ownership of the textile waste that is produced as a result of corporate uniforms and workwear. We encourage all businesses – large and small – to put in place a uniform recycling program.

 

·      Total Uniform Solutions manufacture uniforms that are designed for disassembly which make them easier to reuse and recycle. They offer textile recycling on an industrial scale.  

·      Loop Upcycling offers upcycling & recycling services & solutions for corporate workwear, supporting companies in reducing their waste and adopting more sustainable and circular waste management practices, in partnership with local, community organisations, providing training and employment to people experiencing disadvantage (mainly refugees, new migrants and victims of domestic abuse).

·      Textile Recycling Australia has a uniform recycling service for businesses. Unwanted uniforms are cleaned and shredded, and the fibres are turned into yarn.

 

School uniforms

·      The Uniform Exchange has provided a second life for thousands of school uniforms. The website provides the community with a free platform to sell, buy or donate second-hand school uniforms for every school in Australia.

·      Schools with large quantities of uniforms can contact sustainable start-up Worn Up which offers to collect this textile waste and transform it into new products such as desks that can be used again by students.

 

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Charities and community programs

Many charity stores will also accept unwanted clothing (in good condition) as well as household items such as appliances, glassware, crockery, accessories, ornaments, jewellery, books, CDs and DVDs, records and furniture.

 

Golden rule for donations

Please donate wisely. Charities are paying $13 million a year to send unusable donations to landfill which represents 60,000 tonnes of waste. If you’re unsure whether your clothing is in good enough condition to donate, follow the golden rule for donations: if you would gift it to a friend or family member, then it’s in good enough condition to donate to a charity shop.

 

Before setting out to donate unwanted items to a charity shop, however, please contact them first to ensure they can accept your unwanted items.

 

Community programs

Dress For Success and Fitted for Work are both programs in Australia that help women experiencing disadvantage to find work and keep it. They do this by providing free programs, professional attire, and career mentoring and development. Visit their websites to find out what type of clothing is suitable to donate or other ways that you can help.

 

Clothing Cleanup offers a pick-up service in Sydney for wearable clothing, shoes, handbags, accessories (including hats, belts, scarves) and manchester.

 

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Recycling large quantities

If your workplace or business has large quantities of clothing or textiles to recycle, you can use a commercial recycling service.

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National Clothing Recycling Scheme

A national recycling scheme for clothing is currently in development in Australia. The new scheme, which is called Seamless, was launched in 2023, however, it is still in the development phase.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

 

How to recycle clothes that can’t be donated

Clothing and other kinds of textiles that are not in good enough condition to be reused or donated can be recycled through dedicated programs. You cannot recycle clothing and textiles by putting them in your recycling bin at home. They must be dropped off at designated collection points.

Some clothing retailers offer their customers recycling services for clothing and textiles, including damaged and worn items. Scroll up to find a list of retailers with recycling programs.

If you are not able to find a recycling service near you, unfortunately, the clothing or textile should be put in your garbage bin.

Are clothes recyclable?

Clothes and other types of textiles should not be put in your recycling bin at home. While textiles are technically recyclable, Australia does not yet have the infrastructure and capacity to recycle clothing and textiles collected through council-run kerbside recycling services. Any textile item (clothing, shoes, bags, linen, towels, etc) that is put in household recycling bins will be classified as contamination, which could damage recycling machinery or other recyclable materials.

Fortunately, there are some recycling options available in Australia for clothing and textiles. Clothing and textiles that are in good condition can be donated to charity shops. If they are not in good enough condition to donate, there are some retailers that offer recycling services for their customers. Scroll up for a list of retailers that have recycling programs.

If you are not able to find a recycling service near you, unfortunately, the clothing or textile should be put in your garbage bin. 

Can I put clothes in my recycling bin?

No, clothing should never be put in your recycling bin at home. This also applies to other types of textiles including shoes, bags, linen, doonas, and towels.
Clothing and textiles that are in good condition can be donated to charity shops. If they are not in good enough condition to donate, there are some retailers that offer recycling services for their customers. Scroll up for a list of retailers that have recycling programs.

If you are not able to find a recycling service near you, unfortunately, the clothing or textile should be put in your garbage bin.

Where can I donate clothes?

Many charities accept secondhand goods and clothing as donations. You can use the search bar on this page to find a charity shop in your area.

However, please donate wisely. Charities are paying $13 million a year to send unusable donations to landfill which represents 60,000 tonnes of waste. If you’re unsure whether your clothing is in good enough condition to donate, follow the golden rule for donations: if you would gift it to a friend or family member, then it’s in good enough condition to donate to a charity shop.

Are clothes/coat hangers recyclable?

No, clothes/coat hangers (both metal and plastic) should never be put in your recycling bin at home.

While metal is a valuable and highly recyclable material, if they are put in recycling bins, they can become entangled in machinery at recycling facilities. You could try contacting a scrap metal recycler to see if they are interested in your metal clothes hangers, or your council to see if there is a recycling drop-off location in your area.

You could also contact your local charity shop to see if they have use for your clothes hangers. Most dry cleaners will take back their clothes hangers. 

Where can I find clothing donation bins near me?

You can use the search bar on this page to find charity shops that accept clothing if it is in wearable condition. A number of charities also have collection bins across the country. Please visit the Australian Red Cross, Lifeline, Salvos, The Smith Family, and Vinnies websites for more information.

As a reminder, please only donate clothing that is still in good condition, to avoid your donations being sent to landfill.

Where to sell secondhand clothes

There are many online marketplaces such as Gumtree and Depop where you can sell (or give away) secondhand clothing that is still in good condition.

Every year in November, there are hundreds of garage sales across the country as part of the Garage Sale Trail. You can get involved by setting up your own pre-loved clothing and goods sale in your garage or yard.

What are textiles?

Textiles are materials made from fibres, thin threads, or filaments. They can be made from natural or synthetic materials (or a combination of both). Common products made from textiles include clothing, hats, shoes, gloves, blankets, bags, towels, rugs, and carpets. Textiles can also be used in furniture such as the fabric used to make sofas.

How much textile waste ends up in landfill?

According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, in Australia, it is estimated that 800,000 tonnes of textile waste goes to landfill each year.

There are many ways Australians can help reduce the amount of textile waste that is sent to landfill, such as:
- Reduce the amount of new clothing and textiles you purchase 
- Avoid fast-fashion brands that use cheap materials that wear quickly 
- Purchase secondhand clothing and textiles instead of buying new 
- Only donate clothing that is in good condition
- Recycle unwearable clothing and textiles via the specialist programs available in Australia (more information above on these programs).

To help close the loop on clothing waste in Australia, a National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme is being developed.

Are clothes made from recycled plastic safe?

Yes – clothes made from recycled plastic are generally considered safe to wear.

Clothing made from recycled plastic is commonly made from recycled PET (from recycled plastic bottles) and recycled nylon (from recycled ocean plastic waste such as fishing nets). Both materials are safe to wear. There is a very small risk that recycled PET and recycled nylon may contain contaminants, including toxic plastics, chemicals, and dyes, which may enter during the recycling process.

Clothing made from recycled plastic results in less greenhouse gas emissions, when compared with clothing made from new materials. However, like clothing made from virgin plastics, garments made from recycled plastic also shed fibres and microplastics when washed.