Dealing with textile waste is really tricky business, as our clothes are more often than not made up of a blend of different fibres and materials. Polyester/cotton t-shirts, acrylic/nylon scarves, coated backpack fabrics, and laminated waterproof jackets mean that it’s difficult to separate various components for effective recycling and reuse. With that in mind, what are our options for processing textile waste?
Within Edmonton, the City of Edmonton’s WasteWise app suggests that clothing in good condition be reused through donation, resale, or given away and offers a list of potential donation avenues through its Reuse Directory. The Directory lists nonprofit organizations such as Bissell Thrift Shop, MCC Thrift Shop, Salvation Army Thrift Store, and Goodwill. You can also donate to local small businesses like Chubby Fem Thrift. Make sure to check with these organizations first in case there are items they do not accept. Note that this is not an exhaustive list and that other nonprofit and for-profit organizations accept clothing donations as well.
Outdoor clothing bins located throughout the City are owned and operated by different companies (e.g. Value Village) with proceeds of these donations benefiting various programs or charities. If these bins are full, do not leave your items outside! Clothing that gets wet from rain or snow can become mouldy or smelly, making it no longer sellable.
Unfortunately, Edmonton does not have a formal municipal textile recycling program. The WasteWise app suggests throwing these items in the garbage. However, you can repurpose your unusable textiles to divert them from landfill. Searching “repurposed clothing” or “upcycled clothing” will give you many ideas to creatively make use of these items. Blenderz Garment Recyclers make and sell craft kits and items made from unwearable items, which would be a great place to start and support a local business!
