Many people, including me, throw out torn or unwearable clothes because we don’t think they can be reused. Boy was I happy to learn recently that I was wrong. SMART (Secondary Materials And Recycled Textiles) is an organization that works with many thrift stores to help reduce solid waste by reclaiming, converting and recycling textiles. SMART purchases excess textile donations collected by charities and commercial sources (including the Goodwill, Salvation Army, hospitals, hotels, industrial laundries, etc.). The money SMART pays helps charitable organizations support their ongoing community-based programs.
SMART companies sort and grade the used clothing based on condition. Once sorted, the used clothing is recycled in the following manner:
• 45% is exported as apparel to developing countries where demand for secondhand clothing is particularly high.
• 30% of the recovered textiles become wiping and polishing cloths for commercial and industrial use.
• 20% is reprocessed into fibers for furniture stuffing, upholstery, insulation, soundproofing, carpet padding, building and other uses.
• Only about 5% is unusable and not fit for recycling.
How cool is that!
Next time you have torn jeans or a stained shirt to toss, don’t throw it out in the landfill, donate it instead. To learn more about SMART.
Thanks for sharing. Yours Truly, Gary Z.