We can all agree that we need to recycle clothes, but do we really know why?

Why is it important to recycle clothes?

If asked, we would say something like, “it’s good for the environment” or “donating them is a good cause”. Well these are both true, we usually don’t know how urgent these things are.

It’s one of those problems that we know is big, but often get distracted by our busy lives.

With that being said, we are here to give you the 3 reasons why you must recycle your clothes!

1. Recycle Clothes and Save our Earth

It is estimated that we throw away more than 14 million tons of waste every year. This number has doubled in the last 20 years. 84% of our clothes end up in the landfills!

Additionally, it takes roughly 200 years for some fabrics to decompose naturally. The process of breaking down this clothing takes a large amount of chemicals, water, energy, and other natural resources. This takes a huge toll on our environment!

The more we take, the more we loose, and due to the resources we are using, other areas of the world are being affected.

The Arctic is warming about twice as fast as the global average, causing the ice that polar bears depend on to melt away. These threatens the bear’s main prey, seals, which they need the ice to raise their young.

Why is this important?

Besides the fact that we are slowly killing our earth, we are also over consuming. Now, we know the urge to stay up to date with the latest fashion trends is tempting, but keeping our impact in mind is very important.

What if I told you there was a way for you to continue to purchase the new clothes you want, and still make a positive impact on our environment?

2. Old to You Means New to Somebody Else

We know that the majority of clothes don’t get recycled, so where do they go?

We give it to the people that need it more!

2nd hand clothing is growing at a much faster rate than new fashion with more people looking to sell and buy used clothes more than ever. In fact, many 2nd and 3rd world countries depend on our clothing for their needs.

In many cases, their 2nd hand clothing market is larger than their new clothing market.

Only 20% of bought fabrics are collected for either reuse or recycling, but when they are they go a long way. In fact, 2nd hand clothing sales are worth around 0.25% of the market for new clothes. So, this is a great and affordable option for poorer countries that need them.

Most of our clothing goes to South and Central America to be used again. We love the work we do, so much so that we have warehouses and store fronts in Costa Rica that sell your clothes directly to the people that need them.

By donating or selling your used clothes, it’s not only creating an impact on mother nature, but it’s also helping others around the globe.

3. Recycle clothes and Earn More!

We know we need to donate our clothes, but we usually don’t have the time, or don’t see the value in donating them. 

Luckily, there are plenty of options out there for recycling clothes from the comfort of your home!

One great way is to sell them directly to individuals that want to buy them using online platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest. Here are tips on how to do that!

Now this will also take some effort, but it can be very rewarding to grow connections, while also recycling your clothes. 

Another option is to sell them to small businesses like ours. The process is very easy, and rewarding. It takes 3 straightforward steps, and as long as the clothes are wearable, it will be worn again! 

If this interests you, check this out! 

Now, there are some clothes out there that are too old to be worn again, but that doesn’t mean they have no use, in fact they have many uses!

In most cases, we know throwing away clothes isn’t the best option, we just don’t know what to do with them. Don’t throw them away, instead create something new! Some of the great things to create include, a new stylish tote bag for your groceries using old t-shirts, or turn an old flannel into couture for your torn jeans.

The creative options are endless, they just take a bit of creativity. Luckily for you, we made a list of useful things to create here! 

Conclusion

In conclusion, recycling your clothes isn’t an option, it’s a necessity! It’s important we all do our part to help save our earth.

Luckily, there are many options for us, and some require little to no effort.

We hope we inspire you to recycle your clothes, and help less the global consumption load!

Is there any other reasons that we missed? How do you feel about the impact clothing waste is having on the environment?

A laugh for the road….

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