Recycling your clothes can seem daunting if you’ve never done it before, but the process has become incredibly easy thanks to American Recycled Clothing (ARC). Since 2009, ARC has made it simple and convenient to donate your gently used clothing and shoes to people in need. Whether you want to donate clothes from your closet or clean out your garage, ARC makes the process simple and reliable so that your clothing can be put to good use once again. To learn more about how you can contribute, read this information on how to recycle clothes in America!
What Is American Recycled Clothing?
American-made recycled clothing is another way that socially responsible companies are encouraging consumers to be kinder to their environment. These products will be labeled as Made in USA and should contain an emblem of a curved arrow, with two arrows pointing away from each other.
While these garments are typically more expensive than other clothes made abroad, they do offer tremendous benefits for those looking to make more ethical clothing choices.
American-made recycled clothing uses natural fibers like cotton, linen or wool that have been discarded by other manufacturers. This means there’s no need to cut down trees for new materials, which reduces your carbon footprint considerably.
Additionally, since these materials are already on hand and not produced specifically for one company’s needs, you can choose exactly what you want—so if you want 100 percent cotton or all linen shirts, it’s possible! You also have more freedom when it comes to how much you spend on your clothes; because American-made recycled clothing utilizes discards from existing manufacturers, there isn’t a limited supply of material available at any given time.
Recycling In The Fashion Industry
It’s estimated that Americans purchase 8.8 billion garments a year, according to The Green Guide. Each of those garments takes an average of 1700 gallons of water to produce, using 180 pounds of chemicals.
They take 600 years for a standard cotton T-shirt to decompose and 1000 years for nylon sneakers to break down. So it’s important that we make sure any clothing we throw away gets picked up by recyclers—and gets re-sold, rather than thrown away after its one season on Earth.
But what can you do if you want to recycle your clothes but don’t know how? Take them to your local thrift store! Or, if you’re looking to clean out your closet and make some cash at the same time, consider selling them online or at a consignment shop. Just be sure to check with local laws before doing so—some states have specific laws about selling used clothing in stores.
Does Recycled Clothing Makes You Feel Out of Fashion?
In some ways, clothes recycling in America is a step forward for sustainability. Rather than send your worn-out clothes to landfill, you can donate them to individuals and organizations who will clean and repair them before they’re sold in donation centers or online secondhand stores.
This process keeps clothes out of landfills, reduces textile waste and provides used clothing to people who cannot afford new items. But these benefits aren’t guaranteed by all companies that claim to recycle clothing. For example, Mr Bear Recycled Clothing isn’t American recycled clothing: The manufacturer outsources much of its production to third-party companies overseas where labor is cheaper.
So while your old jeans may have been made in China, they were probably shipped back to China after being repaired and cleaned at one of Doe’s facilities. What's more, some consumers are concerned about quality control when it comes to donated clothing; without labeling or regulation, there’s no way to tell if a company has actually recycled an item before selling it as used. If you want to shop responsibly for secondhand clothes, make sure any company you buy from has a good reputation for high-quality products made with sustainable materials—and make sure it doesn't just pass off other manufacturers' work as its own.
Why Wear Your Old Clothes?
You probably have a dresser drawer full of clothes you don’t wear anymore, hanging in your closet waiting for something to happen, or buried in your spare-bedroom closet.
Wouldn’t it be great if someone could take those clothes and turn them into new ones? American Recycled Clothing does just that. They accept donations of clothing ranging from thrift store finds to brand-new clothes (it helps if they're clean) and then resells them on their website.
A percentage of each sale goes back to local charities—so not only are you getting rid of some old clothes, but you’re also helping out a good cause. If that doesn't convince you to give American Recycled Clothing a try, maybe knowing that all proceeds go towards supporting local charities will do it. If nothing else, check out American Recycled Clothing's Facebook page for some inspiration on what can be done with old clothes!
Tips For Better Results
Textile recycling is one of many ways to upcycle old clothing into new items. The term ‘upcycling’ implies that you are taking something of little value and giving it a new purpose or even higher value than its original state. This is precisely what textile recycling does.
Instead of simply throwing your worn-out clothing in the trash, consider these tips for better results when reusing your old clothes and fabrics. Whether you want to reduce waste by repurposing your textiles or need to add some vintage pieces to your wardrobe, there are plenty of options available today.
As an added bonus, all these projects can be completed without sewing skills or prior experience! Here’s how:
Are You Ready To Get Started? Don’t have any old clothes lying around? Then visit a local thrift store for inspiration! And if all else fails, keep reading for other DIY recycled clothing ideas. No matter which project you choose first, always remember: If at first you don’t succeed, try again! These projects require patience and perseverance but will eventually turn out beautifully every time. What Are You Waiting For?
What To Do With Them?
Before recycling your clothes, give them a good washing to make sure they’re clean and free of food and grease. By wearing your clothes as long as possible before recycling them, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint since it takes energy to produce new clothing.
After giving your clothes a final run through in the wash, check out these ideas for what to do with old clothing. First, check if your local thrift store will accept donations.
If so, simply drop off your clothes on your way home from work or school—most stores have bins outside where you can leave donations. If not, take them to a local charity that accepts textiles like Goodwill or Salvation Army. Your local charity might also be able to provide additional information about how best to recycle clothes in your area—they may even offer their own textile recycling program!