Wouldn’t it be wonderful if clothes lasted forever? Unfortunately even after normal wear and tear from washing and drying, most clothing eventually gets worn out. But when it comes time to dispose of old, ratty clothes that you no longer wear, stop before you toss them into your garbage bin and consider recycling or repurposing!

Donating is an easy choice for clothes that are still presentable. But what about clothes that are far past their prime? Read on to learn about how to recycle clothes and shoes that aren’t in good condition. 

Why You Should Recycle Your Old Clothes

The EPA reported that “the main source of textiles in municipal solid waste (MSW) is discarded clothing, although other smaller sources include furniture, carpets, tires, footwear, and other nondurable goods such as sheets and towels.” Textile waste in 2015 totalled to 16 million tons or  6.1% of total municipal solid waste in 2015. That equates roughly to 100 pounds of textile waste per person that year! 

Clothing alone represented 4.5% of total municipal waste in 2015 and less than 1/3 of that was recycled (source: EPA).

The good news is, it isn’t difficult to do our part to reverse this trend because most clothes and shoes can be easily recycled if we dispose of them properly. 

How To Recycle Old Clothes

There are 5 simple ways that you can recycle old clothing and shoes. From textile recycling to your local thrift store, it’s easy to do the right thing. 

Textile Recycling:

If you’re not familiar with textile recycling, it can feel daunting when you don’t know where to start. Start by searching for clothing recycling bins in your area. Many of which will take clothing in any condition, and allow you to drop off your items for free. American Textile Recycling Service is a company that will collect donations at drop-off locations and sort through your textiles.

Websites like Recycle Now can help you locate an appropriate bin in your area. Terracycle is also a cool resource that will send recycling boxes to your home, office, or school to collect donations. Once the box is full, you just ship it back and they will recycle the contents for you!

Donate: 

Donate items that are still wearable/usable. Contact second-hand stores near you such as thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL to see what recycling programs they have in place. 

Go Retail: 

More and more retail stores have started to accept old clothes in an effort to encourage proper recycling. Madewell, Levi Strauss & Co., H&M, and The North Face stores will accept your used clothes and shoes, recycle them, and even give you a reward for it. 

Compost: 

Fabrics made from natural fibers can be composted so long as they aren’t blended with synthetic fibers (like polyester, spandex, rayon, or nylon). Compostable fabrics include:

• Cotton
• Silk
• Wool
• Cashmere
• Hemp
• Bamboo
• Linen

Two steps to properly prepare your clothing for compost include:

1. Shred – Cut your fabrics into smaller pieces that will more easily break down when scattered in a compost bin.
2. Remove non-biodegradable materials – These can include zippers, buttons, tags, synthetic fabric trims, etc.

Re-Purpose: 

Put that old t-shirt to work! You can easily convert your softer fabric clothing items into cleaning rags. This will save money, keep your home clean, and you’ll be doing the right thing by reusing old clothing. I keep recycled cotton fabric under our sink to use like “bar mops” when cleaning up after meals. I finish surfaces with DIY cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth.

How To Prevent Clothing Waste

Back in 2017, I committed to not buying any new clothes in 2017. After watching the documentary The True Cost, my eyes were opened to the negative impacts that too many of the biggest fashion brands have on our world. So instead of buying new clothes from my favorite brands that year, I simply looked for them at second-hand stores. 

Opting to buy second-hand is a fantastic way to reduce your personal clothing waste. If the idea of shopping second-hand makes you uncomfortable, read my tips for how to find great pieces at thrift stores. Your wallet and our planet will thank you! 

Alternatively, you can shop for new clothing from brands that care about sustainability and focus on purchasing items made with compostable materials.

No matter how you choose to shop, do your best to discard unused clothing responsibly!

Not so long ago, the prospect of buying second-hand clothing for your child wasn’t exactly appealing. Mention the words ‘pre-loved clothing’ and most people would have envisaged mothball-scented cardigans and faded t-shirts, not exactly everyone’s cup of tea!

As pre-loved clothing has become increasingly accessible online (thanks to the likes of eBay and Facebook swap and sell groups), more and more people have opted to buy second-hand clothing for their little ones. Whether it’s for financial, ethical or environmental reasons, if you’re interested in buying pre-loved clothing for your Little One read on for our top 5 reasons why we think you should.

1. It Saves you Money

There’s one very obvious reason why people shop at flea markets, thrift shops in Destin, FL and online second-hand clothing retailers; quite simply because second-hand shopping means you can grab a bargain at a fraction of the retail price. Buying new children’s clothes can be expensive, particularly when you consider how quickly children grow!

You would be shocked if you calculated price per wear on those cute jeans you purchased just a few months ago that now no longer fit your toddler. Buying pre-loved for your Little One not only allows you to pay less at the cash register but it also gets you a better price per wear as your child grows!

2. It Fights Fast Fashion

Fast fashion brands are tempting when you’ve got a little one; they’re affordable, on trend and for the most part, quite reliable. But many popular fast fashion retailers produce irresponsibly in foreign markets, potentially exploiting workers, and are generally not very environmentally friendly.

By nature of being FAST, the fabrics and techniques used are not designed to last, resulting in poor quality clothing that ends up in the bin and eventually as landfill. 

On the other hand, buying new clothing from eco-friendly brands can feel expensive as usually these brands run at a much higher price point than their mass-produced fast fashion counterparts. Buying pre-loved items from these brands can be more accessible than buying new and still fights the fast fashion machine.

Buying pre-loved clothing that has been carefully crafted by ethical brands using high quality materials means you end up with pieces that will survive countless trips to the park, dropped ice creams and scraped knees until your child grows out of them and they can be donated or sold on again and again.

3. Pre-Loved Kid’s Clothing is Usually in Better Condition than Expected

They say to cherish every moment with your Little One because they grow up so fast, and we know first-hand that no truer word has been spoken; children grow very, very quickly! In fact, often babies grow out of those outfits lovingly purchased for them by aunties and uncles before they’ve even had the chance to try them on.

When it comes to pre-loved clothing though, this is only a good thing as it means the second-hand items are likely to have only been worn a handful of times and are therefore often in near perfect condition.

4. There’s More Variety

Ever wandered into a second-hand clothing shop and seen rows upon rows of the same brand or style? Didn’t think so. Buying pre-loved means you get to explore a whole range of different items in a choice of styles by a variety of different brands.

You can’t go wrong with classic styles like adorable dungarees and smart shirts for your Little One but shopping pre-loved also allows more room to choose on-trend looks without paying above the odds.

These days, there is also more variety in where you can find pre-loved clothes for your Little One. Some people love the thrill of trawling through the racks at their local charity shop hunting for something amazing but as online shopping continues to grow in popularity, there are many places where you can grab an amazing piece of pre-loved clothing online without ever needing to leave the house.

This is an especially attractive scenario when you’re caring for small children and it’s not quite so simple to just dash out to the shops! 

5. It’s Good for the Environment

The wellbeing of our planet is a huge issue right now (as it should be) and understanding the environmental impact of the decisions we make in our day to day lives is something many of us are becoming more and more aware of. Buying pre-loved is a great first step toward doing your bit for the Earth.

Did you know that by extending the life of a piece of clothing by a further 9 months, it reduces water, carbon and waste footprints by up to 30%? Not only does buying pre-loved keep perfectly wearable items out of the bin and therefore out of landfill, it actively decreases the demand for further manufacturing, which is a really positive thing for the planet since the fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world!

What is fast fashion?

‘Fast fashion’ is a term that has come to be synonymous with everything that’s currently wrong with the fashion industry. It refers to the system of design and manufacture that values quantity over quality, low prices over proper wages, and speed, trends and profits over people and the environment. The fast fashion model allows clothes to be produced cheaply and quickly in order to reflect continually evolving trends.

Over the past few decades, this has allowed mainstream consumers to buy on-trend clothing at an affordable price. It’s reported that in comparison to twenty years ago, we now purchase 400% more clothing. All this is taking its toll on the environment. The production and sale of clothes is the fourth largest pressure on the UK’s natural resources, coming after the demands of housing, transport and food.

So how exactly does fast fashion affect the environment?

Carbon dioxide

It may not surprise you to learn that fashion is a huge emitter! It’s estimated that clothing accounts for over 5% of global CO2 emissions. In 2015, the industry emitted a whopping 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined . 

Water

Significant amounts of water are used in the growing, refining, and processing of fibres. Cotton – one of the most widespread non-food crops in the world – is a particularly resource-intensive crop. According to the WWF, it takes roughly 2,700 litres of water to produce the cotton needed for just one shirt (not to mention the land required to grow it!).

A lot of this water is taken from ‘blue’ sources – surface-level bodies like lakes and rivers. Over time, this can have damaging effects on the water supplies of local communities, and has even led to the partial disappearance of the Aral Sea. In general, it’s estimated that as much as 200 tonnes of water are used per tonne of fabric in the textile industry – a lot of this is necessary for finishing processes like dyeing.

Polluting chemicals

The fast fashion industry also releases many dangerous and polluting chemicals that are damaging to the health of farmers, factory workers and the surrounding environment.

Pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are relied upon by farmers across the world to produce high yields of in-demand crops. Cotton is a prime example of this – According to the Pesticide Action Network UK, “[non-organic] cotton crops cover 2.4% of the world’s cultivated land but use 6% of the world’s pesticides, more than any other single major crop”.

The over-use of these chemicals threatens biodiversity (especially amongst pollinator species), ecological balance, and the health of nearby communities.

Dyes are another culprit; Fashion Revolution describes how “thick, ink-like water flows through rivers surrounding garment factories; a toxic soup of chemicals discarded from the industry’s synthetic dye processes, filtering into the water systems of the planet”.

Waste

The huge quantity of clothing produced worldwide creates millions of tonnes of fabric wastage, at all stages of the product lifecycle. Only 20% of textiles are currently recycled, and fewer than 10% of garments are made into new clothing each year. It’s estimated that the fashion industry creates approximately 13 kilograms of waste for every person on the planet per year – equating to a landmass larger than the size of France!

Clothing is also largely responsible for the less visible but equally worrying problem of microfibre pollution. When synthetic fabrics are washed, they release millions of hair-like strands that pass straight through wastewater treatment plants into the sea. 

What can we do as individuals?

• Consider quality over quantity – buy less! It’s best to invest in fewer, better-quality clothes! If the idea of a capsule wardrobe is too extreme, try the 30-wears test next time you’re in the shops.

• Shop second-hand: Shopping second hand is a way in which the life of our clothes can be extended! Thrift shops in Destin, FL are the perfect place to do this as clothes are not being wasted.

• Support sustainable/ethical businesses: Supporting these businesses will allow you to feel more positive about where your clothes come from. Choose the ones that give you a clear picture of where their clothes originate– from the materials to production!

• Get curious: When buying clothes, take a second to consider: how are the clothes I am buying being produced? Look up the background of the company and how they organise themselves, from the materials used to the ways in which they are produced. You can always check out the brand’s rating on Good On You.

• Look out for greenwashing: Always look out for certifications from reputable organisations if brands are making claims over the sustainability of their products. Don’t be fooled by clever packaging or wording!

And it doesn’t have to be expensive! There are many ways to embrace sustainable fashion on a budget. A lot of important steps can be made through simple mindset changes, a re-adjustment of the way in which we approach shopping for, caring for and disposing of our clothes.

Chances are you’ve visited a thrift store before. Maybe you’ve gone thrift shopping for a Halloween costume or a tacky holiday sweater. But you don’t have to wait for these two occasions to head to your nearest thrift store! There are so many ways to benefit from thrift shopping all year round.

Reduce waste

Curate a one-of-a-kind wardrobe

Whether you want to stay on top of the latest trends or express your individuality with unique and vintage clothing, thrift shopping allows you to create a wardrobe that’s completely one-of-a-kind. Thrift shopping is a lot like a treasure hunt: you never know what you might find!

Score high-quality goods at low prices

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of finding a great bargain, and at thrift stores, amazing deals are around every corner! Save on clothing, home décor, furniture, shoes, accessories, books, games, and so much more for the entire family. It’s a great feeling to know you’re getting more for less by choosing to shop at a thrift store over a traditional retailer.

Support the community

Donate to thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL and change a life!

They are a non-profit organization that’s serves the community. Every purchase you make at Goodwill helps to support our life-changing mission to provide job training and employment services to individuals with disabilities and our nation’s veterans. Best of all, when you choose to buy gently-used items instead of brand-new ones, you extend the life cycle of reusable goods and help to protect our planet for years to come!

Everyone has clothes in their wardrobe which they just don’t wear anymore. It’s often the result of one-too-many online shopping binges, or consistently buying into ‘the next big trend’. However this over-consumption of clothes is actually really harming the planet.

We need a new approach to shopping; purchasing less, buying more selectively and desposing unwanted items responsibly. Ultimately, we should be giving clothing the chance to stand the test of time.

If you switch to these 7 simple steps, you can still look good, feel good, all whilst doing the planet some good too.

Reduce

1. Reduce the urge to shop ‘on-trend’

Trends are temporary and ever-changing, and although they do eventually come back around, in the meantime clothing is too often seen as disposable. Not only does this waste vast amount of materials and resources involved in production, but the clothing is often chucked straight into landfill after the next new trend comes along.

Some thrift stores, such as COW, even boycotted big consumer holidays such as ‘Black Friday’ in protest against the fast-fashion industry:

2. Reduce the amount you buy on the highstreet

With all that being said, you don’t need to completely disregard shopping on the highstreet, as there are certain basics which are much harder to find anywhere else. However, even reducing the amount you consume from big corportate companies will dramatically decrease your own personal carbon footprint, annually.

3. Reduce your carbon footprint by shopping at thrift stores

Thrift stores are indepedently-owned treasure troves, and often full to the brim with rare and bespoke bargains. You really do get more bang for your buck than shopping on the highstreet, plus it doesn’t harm the planet. (It just goes to show the real life-span of our clothing, opposed to the assumption that clothing is redundant after a couple years of use).

Re-Use

4. Re-Use hand-me-downs!

Hand-me-downs are nothing new to most people, especially those with siblings. Clothing such as coats, shoes and denim jeans passed down from family or friends will save you tonnes of cash, compared to buying them all brand-new.

5. Re-Use the fabric from old clothing

A great way to re-use old or damaged clothing is to re-work the fabric. You can create cushion covers, bags, purses, hats, scarves – all you need is a basic sewing machine, enough fabric, and some creativity.

Recycle

6. Recycle unusable fabric

Sometimes, clothing is just too damaged to either re-use or give away, and it frequently ends up in landfill as a result. However, you can still recycle the fabric at your local tip, where old scraps of material will be broken down and used to make brand-new items, such as cleaning cloths and industrustrial blankets.

7. Recycle clothing by donating to charities

After your bi-annual closet purge, you can donate your unwanted clothes to women’s shelters, charities or to thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL. This is a fun and eco-friendly way to recycle your old clothes (and make a bit of cash while you’re it).

There is a specific protocol that most runners follow for how to clean running shoes, and you should do the same. While you don’t need to stick to the following steps exactly or in order, make sure to try and clean every part of the shoe regularly. While trail shoes will need an exterior scrub more often than city shoes, for example, both shoes should see a top-to-bottom cleaning periodically to keep them functional, comfortable, and safe.

Allow Your Shoes to Dry

If you’ve just gotten home from a good jog, you’re probably tempted to go after your shoes with some cleaner right away. However, if your footwear is muddy, it’s usually a good idea to let the mud dry first. This makes it easier to clean off, and the dirt is less likely to penetrate and stain your sneakers this way, too.

If your shoes are sweaty or waterlogged, but not muddy, you can get started with them right away. Since you’re going to be wetting them anyway during the cleaning process, there’s no reason to wait!

Disassemble Your Shoes

Your next important step will be to take out any removable parts of your shoes. For most runners, this includes both the insole and the shoelaces. However, if your insole is glued in or otherwise adhered to your footwear, don’t force it out! Only remove the insole if it detaches from the shoe readily (which will be the case for most runners).

You can wash the insoles and shoelaces by hand if you’d like, or you can put them in a pillowcase and run them through your washing machine’s gentle cycle on cold. However, if you’re unsure whether your insoles and shoelaces can handle a trip through the dryer, it’s better to hang onto them and hand-wash them later. If you have aftermarket insoles inside of your shoes, take care to make sure they can handle the washing process before doing so, too.

Clean Off Dirt and Mud

Your next step will be to clean off any exterior mud and dirt from your shoes, if applicable. As long as you’ve let the mud dry, it should scrape or brush off easily. Use tools like:

• A soft-bristled scrub brush
• A toothbrush
• A soft sponge or scrubber

Different brushes and sponges will help you reach mud and dirt in different places. A scrub brush, for example, will be useful for cleaning the whole shoe, while a toothbrush will work best in small crevices that the scrub brush and sponge can’t reach.

Wash Your Outer Shoe

Once you’ve gotten any caked-on mud and dirt off of your shoes, the next step is to wash them! However, if your runners specifically say that they’re machine-washable, then go for it! Just make sure to use your machine’s gentle cycle on cold.

However, for most shoes, it’s best to stay away from machine washing. This is because the tumbling that your shoes experience in the washer can cause layers of fabric to weaken and come apart. You never know how one brand of footwear will react to a machine washing, so unless the brand itself has given you the okay on it, hand-washing is a much safer bet.

To begin, mix a mild soap, like eco-friendly laundry detergent, with water to create a gentle washing solution. Some shoes will do better with a specialized shoe cleaner, such as those with a waterproof or Gore-Tex® outer layer. Don’t submerge or saturate the top part of your shoe, either. The top of your footwear should need spot cleaning only.

For the outer soles of your shoes, feel free to dip them in your soapy water solution, then scrub them liberally with one of your scrubbing tools. For shoes with deep grooves in the soles, a scrub brush or toothbrush will work best, while a sponge should work well for most other shoes. Rinse your footwear carefully with clean water when you finish.

Clean and Deodorize Your Inner Shoes

Cleaning the inside of your shoes is arguably even more important than cleaning the outside. After all, you may not hit a muddy puddle every time you run, but your feet will likely sweat almost every time. If you let that sweat build up in your shoes, it will cause unsanitary conditions and odor. In the worst cases, it could even cause health problems for your feet.

If you’ve chosen not to put your insoles into the wash, now is the time to wash them. You can use the mild soap mixture from the last step for this, but we recommend a balanced mix of baking soda and water. This will create an odor-eliminating paste for your shoes. Alternatively, you can wash the insides of your shoes with the mild soap, then deodorize them by pouring baking soda in the runners once they’re dry.

Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed your insoles, clean the dirt and soap off with a damp sponge. Try not to saturate or soak them if at all possible.

Dry Your Shoes

The final step to washing your shoes is to let them thoroughly dry. While there are many popular ways to speed up the drying time of shoes, many of them can damage your footwear! The best way to dry your runners is to leave them inside the house in a well-ventilated area. A fan will help them dry faster, but it’s not required.

On the other hand, it is not recommended that you do any of the following:

• Dry your shoes in the dryer
• Dry your runners in the sun
• Dry your footwear over an air vent, radiator, or furnace in your home

It’s a good idea to stuff your shoes gently with paper towels or newspaper to help them dry and hold their shape, too. Leave the newspaper or paper towel in the runners for at least the first 24 hours of drying time.

Its very important to clean and sanitize your shoes if you have bought them from a thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL because second hand shoes require extra care.But nothing is wrong, if you are saving money and helping the environment as well. Just follow the above steps to maintain your shoes.

Many fashion aficionados have come to love the vintage clothing trend. By wearing clothing, shoes and accessories that have been around for decades, it feels as if you’re paying tribute to a different time. When the vintage trend made its way to the New York runways and fashion magazines, its swift popularity proved that it’s a women’s fashion category that’s here to stay. Luckily, you don’t have to break the bank to get the vintage fashion look that you see on the runway.  

One of the great things about shopping at a thrift store is that you can find things that you wouldn’t normally find at a retail store. Vintage clothing at a discounted price is especially hard to find unless you’re willing to spend more at a specialty shop.

Here are some vintage items you might find at thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL.

Vintage Dresses with Details

Ruffles, ties and shoulder pads, oh my! Keep an eye out for vintage dresses with detailed sleeves, buttons or embroidery.  

Quality Vintage Shoes

Ones with buckles, peep toes and kitten heels are all vintage shoes worth adding to your wardrobe.

Real Fedora Hats

Many modern fashion brands have recreated their own version of the fedora, but it’s even better when you can find an original.

Costume Jewelry

Look for rich bold colors mixed with bling. This type of costume jewelry reminiscent of the 1960s is considered vintage.

Belts

Linked chains and big buckles are two types of vintage belts you might find. Also look for old sterling silver belts with touches of turquoise popular in the Southwest.

Beaded Handbags

Small flapper-style handbags with beaded detail add a vintage touch to your look. Look for high quality and you’ll know you’ve found a gem.