Your At-Home Guide to Recycling Your Clothes

Once clothes are sent for recycling, they go through a lot of different processes, making sure they end up in the best recycling facility for the type of fabric they’re made from.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sorting. Textiles are separated by fabric type and condition, and natural fabrics like cotton and wool will be split up from synthetic fabrics like polyester.
2. Fibre Breakdown. This happens in a few different ways depending on the recycling method. Clothes that can’t be reused will be shredded into fibres, and then can be re-spun into new yarn or melted down and reprocessed.
3. Repurposing. The recovered materials can then be used to make new textiles, stuffing for furniture, insulation or even cleaning cloths, depending on the quality of the materials.

Unfortunately, most of the fabrics that are recycled don’t end up being made into new clothes even though that would be the ideal solution. This is mostly due to the quality of the fibres most of our clothes are made from, and the cost for brands to use recycled materials instead of new.

However recycled clothes are definitely getting more popular, and we’re seeing more and more brands use them in their products, and this is something that is likely to become much more popular over the next decade or so.

What to Do With Your Old Clothes that Are Ready for Recycling

1. T-Shirts

T-shirts are one of our wardrobe’s staples, and often the thing that gets worn out the quickest. From sloppy dinner stains to questionable underarm colour changes and misshapen necklines, these hardwearing pieces get stretched out, faded, ripped and splattered, no matter how careful we are.

Here are our best things to do with your old t-shirts, once they’re no longer fit for wearing.

Use Them as Cleaning Cloths

Old t-shirts make excellent reusable cleaning rags. They’re perfect for dusting, wiping up spills, and are the perfect replacement for single-use cloths.

For DIYers, they’re also great for mopping up grease and oil, so keeping a few in your garage or car can come in handy.

Use Them as Face Cloths

Soft cotton t-shirts can be cut into squares and used as face cloths or eye makeup remover pads.

It’s a simple way to reuse the old fabric while avoiding single-use alternatives, and the fabric is very gentle on the skin too.

Make DIY Hair Ties

Cut old t-shirts into strips to make hair ties, wraps, or headbands. Unlike elastic bands, the soft fabric is gentler on your hair and helps prevent breakage. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover fabric from making rags or cloths, as you can make a hair tie out of a very small scrap.

Knot into Pet Toys

If you’ve got pets, you know how quickly they can destroy their toys and bedding, so using old t-shirts is one of our favourite solutions to having to make yet another trip to the pet shop to get something plastic and squeaky (which will also probably end up in landfill by next week).

Your old t-shirt also smells like you, giving an extra bit of comfort to your furry pal.

2. Shoes

Unfortunately, shoes are not easy to recycle at all, especially when they are worn down.

This is because they are pretty much always made from a mix of different materials, like rubber, leather, synthetic fabrics and stuck together with glue and all sorts of other things.

Here’s what we suggest doing once your shoes are at the end of their life.

Explore Your Repair Options

Before recycling your old shoes, consider taking them to a cobbler to see if they can be repaired. If they’re made from a soft fabric material and just look worn out, try washing them at home to give them a refresh.

Even if you’re ready to part with them, a new sole or pair of laces could extend their life for years. After repairs, you can still sell or donate them so they can be used for as long as possible.

Get Them Transformed into Something Bespoke

Turn to the Professionals at Helen Kirkum Studios, who are the masters of reinventing old shoes into new pairs that you can wear with pride. They craft one-off bespoke new shoes out of your old pairs, helping the legacy of your archives live on after they’ve had one too many trips outside.

We’d absolutely recommend this for any pairs that have extra special sentimentality attached to them, or if you’ve got a few pairs of cool trainers that are all past their wearable best. It’s definitely not a cheap option, but in our opinion, these shoes are worth it.

Put in a Shoe Recycle Bin

Not all clothing recycle bins take old shoes, but you can find the ones that do here. These can be made into all sorts of things, from insulation to children’s playgrounds.

3. Trousers, Coats, Jumpers and the rest

Clothes like trousers, coats and jumpers are often some of your wardrobe’s most durable pieces, so we recommend trying to repair them whenever you can before turning to the recycling option.

Get them Repaired (or do it yourself!)

Minor damages like missing buttons or broken zippers often mean the difference between something being able to live on for years, or being chucked out.

We know, it can be a pain to repair things yourself, and forking out £10 or £20 might feel like a lot when fast fashion offers new things for basically the same price, but allowing your clothes to live on past their first minor issue is one of the best things to do for a sustainable fashion future.

Explore the Joys of Upcycling

The fabrics used to make our clothes are usually perfect for another project, and upcycling is a brilliant way to make the most out of the material, and avoid it going to landfill.

We encourage you to try it out for yourself if you’re a handy person, but if you wouldn’t even know where to start, then apps like Loom can connect you with designers and makers in your city, who will transform your old things into new masterpieces.

Make a Mending Kit

If your old jeans are worn out but still have sections in good condition, keep those pieces in your mending kit. You can use them as patches for other clothes that need fixing, helping extend their life.

4. Wooly Jumpers

When your clothes are made from premium natural fibres like wool, recycling them can feel like a waste. Instead, there are plenty of useful ways to repurpose the fabric at home!

Unravel it and knit something new

Did you know you can turn your old jumpers back into balls of wool?

If your woolly jumper is beyond repair but made from good-quality yarn, you can carefully unravel it and use the wool to make something new.

Carefully unpick the seams, wind the yarn into balls, and use it to knit something else like a scarf or a winter hat. If you’re not a knitter, then why not check in with older generations of family members and see if they’d be willing to spend an afternoon teaching you?

We promise, it’s not that hard!

Make a Hot Water Bottle Cover

Wool is a brilliant insulator, so if you have a jumper that’s made from 100% wool without any acrylic in it, then you can use it as a hot water bottle cover to keep you cosy. This is especially great for jumpers which have felted, but if yours hasn’t you can always pop it in the washing machine on a hot wash and that will do the trick!

Cut a section of your old jumper to fit around a hot water bottle, leaving extra fabric for seams, and sew the edges together. Here’s a handy guide to follow along. The thick wool will help insulate the bottle, keeping it warm for longer and making it extra cosy on cold nights.

Make Wool Dryer Balls

Wool dryer balls are great for reducing static and helping your washing dry faster, and making your own is a fun alternative to using single use dryer sheets.

This tutorial will show you how to do it.

5. Bras, Pants and Socks

Our old underwear can be one of the most awkward things for us to recycle, because we don’t want to end up embarrassing ourselves trying to donate our grey knickers to the charity shop! These are probably the most common items to end up in the bin, and that's exactly what we want to avoid!

Donate Usable Bras to Charities

Even if your bras are looking a bit worse for wear, they can be welcome donations for charities like Against Breast Cancer who can even set up a bra-donation-bank in your work or local area.

You can also donate your old bras to Smalls for All who collect it and donate it to women in need, who can’t afford to buy their underwear new.

Our brand partners Bluebella offer a takeback programme for your old Bluebella underwear, and you’ll get a discount on something new.

Darn Your Socks

Before you throw away holey socks, why don’t you try darning them? It’s a simple sewing technique that repairs a hole very securely, and keeps your socks in action.

This tutorial gives you a guide to doing it in only three minutes - so what’s your excuse?

Especially if you’ve got high quality socks, this means you can extend their lifespan for years - maybe even decades.

And if you’re in need of a bit of inspiration, check out the Celia Pym Exhibition at the Now Gallery for some seriously darned socks.

Compost Natural Fibres

If your socks, underwear, or bras are made from 100% natural fibres like cotton, wool, or bamboo, you can actually cut them into small pieces and add them to your compost bin.

Over time, they’ll break down and enrich the soil.

6. Sportswear and Old Gear

Sports gear is built to be durable and high-performing, but over time, it inevitably does still wear out.

For active people, this often means replacing sports shoes or training gear every single year - or even more frequently! Instead of tossing the old items, these are a few ways you can give them a second life.

Donate to a Sports Charity

Charities like KitAid accept gently worn sportswear, trainers, and activewear, donating them to people in need, like athletes in developing countries and local community sports programmes.

Even if you think your gear is past its prime, it can still be incredibly valuable to others, and many will be grateful for the donation.

Recycle with a Brand Takeback Scheme

Our brand partners Skins, Finisterre, Sweaty Betty, Passenger and Janji all take their clothes back via their takeback programmes, no matter what condition they’re in, and reward you with a discount on the replacement.

These initiatives are done with Reskinned so you know that nothing goes to landfill, and you can feel confident knowing your clothes are being recycled responsibly every time.

You can find info on all of our takeback partners here.

Repurpose for DIY Resistance Bands or Yoga Straps

Old leggings or stretchy tops made from lycra and elastane can be cut into strips and tied together to create homemade resistance bands or yoga straps, which are perfect for stretching and strength training.

Donating Clothes to Charity - When Are They Too Worn Out?

It’s easy to assume that all unwanted clothing can be donated to charity, but not everything is suitable.

Many well-meaning donations end up being unwearable, creating extra costs for charities to dispose of them, and in many cases, they still end up in landfill.

Here’s how to check if your clothes are too worn out for donation, so you know to use one of the above solutions instead.

The Checklist: Is it Suitable for Resale?

▢ Are they clean and odour-free? Charities can’t accept items that are dirty, damp, or heavily stained, so always wash clothes before donating.

▢ Are they in good condition? If an item has large rips, holes, excessive pilling, or missing pieces (like buttons or zippers), it might not be suitable for resale.

▢ Would you wear it yourself? This is a pretty good rule of thumb: if it’s too damaged for you, it’s too damaged to donate.

▢ Is the fabric beyond repair? Small tears or missing buttons can often be fixed, but fabric that’s completely threadbare, stretched out, or falling apart isn’t suitable for charity shops, and should be recycled instead.

How to Check if a Charity Accepts Worn-Out Clothes for Recycling

Not all charity shops can handle damaged textiles, so it’s important to check their policy before donating.

Some charities like TRAID and Salvation army do have recycling schemes, but they ask for the clothes you send to be in good, wearable condition, so they can avoid recycling where possible.

If you’re not sure, the best thing to do is:

• Visit the charity’s website to see if they have a dedicated recycling program.
• Call or ask in-store if they accept worn-out items for recycling.
• Look for charity bins marked specifically for textile recycling rather than resale.

We know it’s tempting, but please don’t donate your unwearable clothes to charity…

Look, we’re all in a rush, and it can be tempting to toss your unwearable clothes into the charity bag and make it someone else’s problem, with the hope that someone, somewhere will have a use for them.

But most charities struggle to resell things that aren’t in good condition, and they often have to pay for the disposal, meaning that your donation actually does more harm than good. These often still end up in landfill, or get shipped overseas, contributing to problems elsewhere.

Here’s what to do instead: The Reskinned Takeback Programme

Remember, if your clothes are too damaged to donate, then the Reskinned takeback programme is a great sustainable (and simple) alternative.

We accept all kinds of clothing in all conditions, and every item is either repaired, resold, repurposed, or fully recycled, giving your old clothes a responsible second life.

Send us your old clothes today.