How to Recycle Clothes

Recycled Dressup Clothes

Most people have too many clothes in the closet. One way to downsize or simplify your wardrobe is to recycle some of those clothes, especially the ones that are two sizes too small, throwbacks from twenty years ago or just plain out of style. Spend a day one weekend clearing out the back end of the closet and removing those clothes you have not worn in a year or more. Recycle them in a number of different ways.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tie dye kit
• Scissors
• Sewing kit
• Decorations
• Baubles
• Sewing machine

1. Pass on clothes to other people like younger siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews. You could also send clothing along for the children and grandchildren of friends and coworkers.

2. Give away the clothes in good condition to your local Salvation Army or Goodwill center. The donations are tax deductible. Look for drop-off zones throughout your community.

3. Take excellent condition clothing to a consignment shop that will inspect your clothes. Workers will assign a dollar value and go over an agreement with you regarding how much your cut will be when the item is sold. In the end, someone is selling it for you. You get a share. It's a win-win situation.

4. Have a garage sale. This way, you can recycle your clothes and any other extra stuff lying around.

5. 

   Recycle slightly stained white shirts into beautiful new tie-dye versions.

6. Cut seriously stained clothing into squares for use as rags. These will come in handy when it's time for some spring cleaning.

7. If your jeans have shredded bottoms or holes in the knees, cut them off into shorts. Make short shorts if you desire. Cut away the crotch area for a mini-skirt.

8. Send a box of clothes to a country or area in need due to disease or natural disaster. You can find a use for your old clothes in this manner through your church or other charitable institution.

9. Make a quilt from old clothes. Use baby clothes for create a collage quilt. Cut other clothing into squares and various shapes for making other quilt patterns.

10. Create textile art with recycled clothing in various fabrics and patterns.

11. Offer older clothes to a vintage clothing store.

12. Offer your church organization any clothing of value for sale in their church bazaar or other fundraising activities.

Resources

• Find Your Local Salvation Army
• Find a Goodwill
• How to Make a Tie Dye Shirt
• How to Make a Flat Braided Rug
• How to Make a T-Shirt Quilt