How to Recycle Fleece Jackets

Patagonia's well known among hikers and mountaineers for making tough outerwear that's as stylish as it is durable. While they make some of their gear using proprietary materials like Capilene, they build much of their clothing from third-party fabrics like Gore-Tex and Polartec fleece. As a plus, they offer a free fleece recycling program to anyone interested in reducing the fabric's impact on the environment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Make sure your jacket's made from either Patagonia fleece or Polartec fleece. Patagonia recycles any brand of fleece clothing, but it must be made from these materials.
2. Wash your jacket by following the instructions on its tag. If the tag's missing, a small amount of detergent in the wash and a medium-temperature dry cycle should do the trick. Avoid liquid fabric softeners.
3. Use Patagonia's online store finder to locate a nearby retailer. You can return your fleece to an actual Patagonia store or to one of their Performance Baselayer Dealers.
4. Drop your fleece by the Patagonia shop to have it recycled. Patagonia suggests doing this while running errands to reduce the trip's environmental impact.
5. Mail your fleece jacket to the Patagonia Service Center if there isn't a retailer nearby. You can find the address on the Common Threads recycling program's homepage.

Tips & Warnings

• Recycling your fleece jacket's optional and land you with extra cash or a discount on your next Patagonia purchase. It does, however, help Patagonia reduce the environmental impact of making their products.