How to recycle or donate your unwanted clothes

Find simple ways to pass on clothes through donation or recycling

Find your nearest recycling point

What is the environmental impact of clothing?

The clothes we buy have a bigger impact than most of us realise. Globally, the textile industry produces around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of all wastewater. This more than shipping and aviation combined.

Here in the UK, we buy more new clothes than anywhere else in Europe, averaging 26.7 kg per person each year. Yet the average garment is only worn for around 2.2 years, meaning an estimated 300,000 tonnes of clothing ends up in landfill or incinerated annually.

But it doesn’t have to go to waste. With the right collection and sorting, many items can be reused, donated or recycled into new products, giving them a second life and reducing their environmental footprint.

Where to recycle clothing and textiles near me…

Recycling your unwanted clothes is simple. Enter your postcode to find your nearest clothing and textile recycling point.

Woman sat with piles of clothing on a bed

How can I reduce my impact?

Reducing the environmental impact of clothing comes down to two behaviours: how we buy and how we dispose of items.

Buy smart

Buying new clothes is sometimes necessary, but fast fashion has shortened garment lifespans and increased waste. You can make a difference by:

  • Buying less, choosing better
  • Picking durable materials designed to last
  • Avoiding throwaway trends that are worn only a few times
  • Investing in one quality item that lasts years is often cheaper than replacing cheap clothes every season

Don’t bin it, fix it!

Many clothes in the UK are thrown away for simple reasons like missing buttons or small tears. Before recycling or binning:

  • Check if you can repair it
  • Try easy online tutorials for sewing or patching
  • Small fixes give clothes a longer life and keep them out of landfill

Even small changes in buying and repair habits can help reduce clothing waste.

How to reduce, reuse, donate, and recycle your unwanted clothes

There are many simple ways to stop old clothes and fabrics from going to waste. Here are some easy ideas you can do at home:

  • Reuse fabrics like old sheets to protect floors during decorating or DIY
  • Turn worn-out T-shirts into cleaning rags
  • Get creative! Use old fabrics to make costumes or craft projects

If you have clothes you no longer want, donating is a great way to give them a second life:

  • Use our free tool to post unwanted clothes directly to The Salvation Army, supporting charity and reducing waste
  • Many high street stores have clothing donation bins—find your nearest location using our recycling locator
  • If your clothes are in good condition, try selling them on platforms like Vinted, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace

For items that can’t be reused or donated, textile recycling is key:

  • Clothes and shoes can be taken to designated recycling points, where they are sorted, shredded, and turned into new products like insulation or upholstery
  • Avoid putting textiles in your general waste bin, as this usually means landfill or incineration without energy recovery
  • Use our locator tool to find your closest textile recycling bank
Donate your clothes
Sorted clothes in a box for recycling or donation

What happens to your clothes after recycling?

When you recycle or donate clothes responsibly, here’s what typically happens:

Collection Clothes and textiles are collected from charity shops, donation bins, kerbside collections, and online donation portals

Sorting Items are carefully sorted by hand, based on condition, type, and material. This helps separate what can be reused, recycled, or repurposed

Reuse Good quality clothing is sent to charity shops, sold second-hand, or donated to those in need , often both in the UK and abroad

Recycling Textiles unsuitable for reuse are shredded into fibres, which can be made into new products like insulation, cleaning cloths, or upholstery materials

Repurposing Some materials are transformed into new items such as quilts or upholstery fabric

Energy Recovery As a last resort, unusable textiles may be incinerated to generate energy, which is preferable to landfill but less sustainable than reuse or recycling

Recycling processes vary across the UK depending on local facilities, so availability may differ by region