Recycling clothes is as easy as 1-2-3 with these 3 take-back programs

Recycling old clothes isn’t always straightforward, but there are programs that are making it so much easier to keep apparel, shoes and accessories from ending up in landfills. Ahead, I delve into the ins and outs of clothing recycling and walk you through how I used three take-back programs to make my closet clean-out more sustainable.

What to know about recycling clothes

“We put 50 billion garments into landfill every year in the US,” says Kristy Caylor, founder and CEO of For Days. And unfortunately, even recycling efforts aren’t always a clean solution. For example, most used clothes collected for recycling get shipped off to developing countries where they become piles of waste with no infrastructure in place to properly recycle or process them.

“The reverse supply chain for used clothing is vast and global, and there are definitely good and bad actors,” Caylor says. “While no system is perfect (item level traceability in postconsumer garments is almost impossible, fiber-to-fiber recycling is limited), look for companies that offer transparency: how much is collected, how much is ‘recycled’ and where the clothes go.”

Co-founder of Retold Recycling Amelia Trumble agrees. “Consumers have to be wary of various sweeping statements when it comes to vetting brands that claim to have a company mission focused on recycling textiles or sustainability in general,” Trumble says. “Watch out for generalizations in marketing language without any data to back up the claims.”

How are clothes and textiles repurposed?

Take-back programs such as those of For Days and Retold Recycling work with a network of recycling partners that divert textile waste from polluting the environment. These programs accept a range of pieces — even those that are stained, torn and considered scraps — that they sort and find a second use for. Depending on the quality of the goods, this can entail products being sent to charities for donation, thrift stores for resale or downcycled into other textile-based materials.

“Our sorting process is very detailed and precise, and every item of clothing ends up in one of 215 grades,” Caylor says of For Days’ processing. “This is important as it ensures that 95% of the clothing we collect finds the next best and highest use.” According to the company, 50% of items collected through the Take Back Bag are downcycled (meaning “materials are shredded and transformed into something of lesser value like industrial rags, carpet padding and building insulation,” Caylor says), 45% are resold and only 5% are actually considered trash.

In addition to being transparent about the statistics, Trumble says it’s important to look for brands and resources that are open to sharing “footage and imagery of their process” since “unfortunately, there aren’t any true ‘certifications’ in the [textile recycling] industry.”

Can you put clothes in your home recycling bin?

Unfortunately, clothes can’t go in your household recycling bin. Textiles are not considered recyclable by municipal programs; however, your state or local government may have resources to help recycle clothes and textiles. For example, New York City has a program called refashionNYC that provides free textile donation and recycling services for residential and commercial buildings, schools and nonprofit institutions. New Yorkers can also check with donateNYC and the Re-Clothe NY Coalition for textile reuse programs.

What clothes and textiles cannot be recycled?

As mentioned above, clothes cannot go in your blue recycling bin at home. If you’ve found a clothes recycling program, you’ll want to check what types of garments and materials the specific program accepts. Some may take clothes and textiles in any condition (even stained or damaged), while others may only accept pieces that are in wearable condition.

How to recycle clothes through a take-back program

While local recycling programs are worth looking into, companies like For Days, Retold Recycling and Subset (formerly Knickey, a circular underwear brand that turns old intimates into padding and insulation) provide convenient options for anyone, anywhere in the US. And unlike brand-specific programs that only take back their own items for recycling, these mail-in recycling programs accept pieces from any shop. The process of sending clothes in for recycling consists of just a few steps.

Step 1: Collect your clothes for recycling

Whether you’re doing a deep closet purge or simply setting aside a few garments you no longer wear, you’ll want to start by creating a pile of clothes to send off for recycling. I recommend starting with this step even before ordering your preferred take-back bag, that way you can see how much stuff you’ll be sending in and therefore gauge how many bags to order.

Since I used three different take-back programs, I also sorted the pieces for recycling based on what the specific programs accept. While Retold Recycling and For Days’ Trashie bag accept any used home or garment textiles, Subset’s program is specifically for used intimates, socks and tights.

Step 2: Fill your take-back bag or box

If you opt for a take-back bag, all you have to do is fill it up with your selected pieces.

Out of the three programs I tried, the Trashie Take Back Bag was the most spacious and sturdy and I ended up ordering more Trashie bags for my next round of closet clean-outs. With the initial bag, I was able to fit in 20 items, including three dresses, five tops, two pairs of denim, a pair of sweatpants, a skirt and a bunch of mismatched socks.

Retold Recycling’s bag was smaller and thinner, so I avoided including any pieces that had sharp hardware on them. I was able to fit two sweatshirts and two sweatpants in the bag, plus a pair of slippers that I threw in before sealing it up.

For Subset, you first have to fill out a form and share how many and what type of items you’re sending in. Then, the company provides a shipping label, but you have to use your own shipping box or bag. I reused an old box I had on hand and packed in an assortment of bras, underwear and socks that I was ready to part with.

Step 3: Ship your recycled clothes (and get rewarded)

When you’ve packed up your clothes for recycling, taking them to the post office is the only step that’s left. It’s as simple as that! And in the process of keeping waste out of the landfill, you can also earn some incentives.

If paying to get rid of your old clothes seems like a barrier to recycling them, For Days/Trashie, Retold Recycling and Subset all offer rewards in the form of future discounts.

Each Trashie Take Back Bag will earn you $30 in Closet Cash (effectively paying you back for the $20 that the bag costs), which you can use to shop For Days’ recyclable women’s and men’s fashion, as well as lifestyle products from other sustainable brands like ZeroWasteStore and Bathing Culture. There is some fine print, though — if you’ve racked up some Closet Cash, it can only be redeemed for up to 50% off your order total up to $200 at For Days. But you can also turn your Closet Cash into Trashie Cash, which can be turned into discounts at partnered companies like Allbirds, Cozy Earth and even Regal Cinemas.

Meanwhile, those who plan to recycle regularly can earn rewards with a quarterly or annual subscription to Retold Recycling’s bags. The rewards — which go up to 20% off — can be redeemed at a range of partners including Underscored-tested eco-friendly cleaning brand Dropps, clean beauty brand Allyoos or designer consignment platform The Revury. And lastly, Subset gives a promo code for up to $25 off or the equivalent of 20% off your next purchase. That means you can save $7 on its bestselling Triangle bralette, which outweighs the $5 recycling label cost.