textile recycling

Upcycle Your Wardrobe

Embroidered flowers on the back of a denim jacket.

I recently attended a conference where an educator from the United Kingdom spoke about “Right to Repair” laws happening in European nations. These laws hope to incentivize consumers to repair, rather than replace, some of the products that they own, as well as discourage businesses from making their products very difficult or outright impossible to repair. I started wondering if the United States government was pursuing any “right to repair” legislation and was pleased to see that this movement is also on the mind of our legislators too. Currently, four states have officially passed Right to Repair laws and 30 other states have introduced their own bills. Discussions are happening at the federal level as well.

While we wait for these policy changes to be enacted, there are actions consumers can take to extend the life of the products we own, especially when it comes to our closets. The life of clothing can be extended with basic sewing skills, such as sewing on a new button and repairing ripped seams. But what if you are not savvy at sewing, and just want a quick refresh? No need to replace your entire wardrobe, it may instead be time to ‘upcycle’ your clothing! Upcycling is the act of “repurposing an item into something else” – it differs slightly from ‘recycling’ as you are reusing the item without having to first take it back to its original state.

When considering if you should upcycle a garment in your closet, first check for any excessive wear and tear. Clothing that is beyond repair may not be worth your time to upcycle, but can still be used in other ways, such as dust rags, plant ties in your garden, or as a child’s dress-up clothing. If the garment you wish to upcycle is still in good condition, consider what kind of changes you plan to make (Minor changes? A complete overhaul?), and if it’s something you would feel comfortable wearing.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas to upcycle your old clothing:

  • Dye it – this is a popular way to refresh formal dresses, though it can be done with other garments as well.
  • Patch it – If a small hole is keeping you from wearing a garment, you can try your hand at sewing it up, or add an iron-on patch. Suede patches on blazers or sweaters can create a new look.
  • Cut it – If your jeans are looking a little frayed at the bottom, consider cutting them shorter for a new pair of shorts.
  • Embroider it – some quick decorative stitches in your clothing can change it up just enough to make it feel new again. If you are unfamiliar with how to embroider, be sure to visit your local craft store or check out a video online for help.

Consider ways to extend the life of your clothing to save money and to keep used textiles out of the landfill!

Written by: Jessica Lowe, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County, lowe.495@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County, lobb.3@osu.edu

References:

Hamilton, W. (2019, June). Rags to Riches: Recycling and upcycling Old Clothes. New Mexico State University – BE BOLD. Shape the Future. https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_c/C313/index.html

Lobb, J. (2022, April 26). Textile waste: A fashion faux pas. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2022/04/26/textile-waste-a-fashion-faux-pas/

Osmanski, S. (2024, May 7). 10 ways to upcycle old clothes according to experts. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/upcycle-clothes/

The United States Government. (2023, October 25). Readout of the white house convening on right to repair. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/25/readout-of-the-white-house-convening-on-right-to-repair/#:~:text=Over%2030%20states%20have%20introduced,just%20the%20last%20three%20years.

Yakimova, Y. (2024, April 23). Right to repair: Making repair easier and more appealing to consumers. News | European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240419IPR20590/right-to-repair-making-repair-easier-and-more-appealing-to-consumers

Textile Waste: A fashion faux pas

jeans

It’s always great to see folks celebrate Earth Day! While April 22nd is reserved as the official celebration, there are lots of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle all year long.

One area that might not come to mind right away is your closet. Did you know that in 2018, over 11 million tons of textile materials ended up in the landfill? Discarded clothing is the primary textile in this municipal solid waste stream, though footwear, sheets, blankets, towels, carpeting, and furniture textiles are also included in the category of solid waste. In total, textile materials account for nearly 8% of all landfill material.

According to the Council for Textile Recycling, the average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles annually. Only 15% of used textiles are recycled, while 85% go to the landfill.

If you want to set a goal this year to minimize your textile waste, here are some steps you can take:

  1. Reduce. Choose not to purchase new clothes and items that you don’t really need. Consider shopping at secondhand stores when you do need to purchase new clothes.
  2. Reuse. If there are clothes or other textiles in your closet, dresser, or house that are in good condition but no longer fit or that you no longer wear, donate them to a local cause or sell them to a secondhand store.
  3. Recycle. If there are clothes in your closet or items in your house that are not in good enough condition to sell or donate (e.g., clothing or other garments with holes, tears, stains, or significant wear), look for a textile recycling option near you. Some retail stores and clothing brands offer textile recycling in-store or online, and some donation centers will accept unusable items for recycling. Depending on their condition, recycled textiles may be repurposed as secondhand clothing, converted into materials such as wiping rags, or broken down into fiber for home insulation, carpet padding and more.

Whether you choose to reduce your clothing purchases or sell, donate, or recycle your used clothing, minimizing textile waste is a goal we can all work toward in 2022!

Sources:

Council for Textile Recycling. The Lifecycle of Secondhand Clothing. https://www.weardonaterecycle.org/images/clothing-life-cycle.png

Harmony Enterprises, Inc. The facts about textile waste. https://harmony1.com/textile-waste-infographic/

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Textiles: Material-Specific Data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data

Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County

Reviewed by: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Perry County