As the seasons change, so does our wardrobe. Summer has come to an end, and I’ve recently pulled my warm clothes out of their summer storage bins in anticipation of sweater weather. As I shook out the wrinkles and mustiness, I made a pile of clothes off to the side. This was my donation pile.
The donation pile usually comes about twice a year: at the start of sweater weather and at the end. It’s a time for those, “does this bring me joy?” reflections. I donate the clothes I no longer want, or those I have stylistically outgrown. I figure, just because I don’t like this [insert questionable old sweater here], doesn’t mean someone else won’t, right?
In fact, entire industries thrive on reselling our used and “vintage” clothes. Platforms like Depop, Plato’s Closet, and The RealReal make it easier than ever to pass our pieces along to someone who’ll love them again.
But what about the clothes that don’t sell? Where do they end up?
The journey of donated clothing
Here’s where things get surprising – and a bit sobering.
Donation in the U.S. isn’t as sustainable as many of us think. According to the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART), only about 15% of used clothing is recycled or reused at all. The rest? It’s either sitting in our closets or, more often, tossed out and headed to landfill.
Of the clothing that is collected, a lot is sorted by charities or for-profit textile graders. Some of it is resold locally in thrift shops. But if it doesn’t sell there, it often gets bundled up and shipped overseas, largely to countries in Africa, South America, and Asia.
Once it lands there, two things can happen:
- Secondhand resale markets: Some clothing is resold at local markets, where it can provide affordable options and create jobs.
- Landfills abroad: Unfortunately, a huge portion still ends up as waste. For example, around 40% of secondhand clothes sent to Ghana end up in landfills or are burned.
This global shuffle has social and environmental consequences. It undercuts local textile industries, shifting the burden of our overconsumption to countries less equipped to handle textile waste.
How are government’s helping to solve the problem?
As with most regulations, every region is taking a different approach to this issue. Right now, the U.S. has no national laws requiring clothing recycling or producer responsibility. Brands aren’t legally obligated to take back their products or design with end-of-life in mind.
By contrast, the EU is moving toward stricter regulations. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles will require all EU countries to collect textiles separately by 2025 and push brands to make clothes more durable and recyclable. France already has an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles, which makes brands financially responsible for managing clothing waste.
The UK has also explored similar rules, though they haven’t yet been implemented. Right now, most clothing recycling is still voluntary or charity-led.
So…what can we do?
Okay, this is the part where we can actually feel hopeful, because our individual choices really do add up.
Here are a few ways to keep your clothes out of landfills and make your wardrobe more planet-friendly:
- Buy less, buy better: choose timeless, good-quality pieces that will last. Look for natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool, or cashmere instead of polyester or acrylic, which are plastic-based and shed microplastics.
- Make do and mend: fix small rips or missing buttons. Learn to sew (or make friends with a local tailor!) and give your clothes a second life.
- Get creative: host a clothing swap with friends, upcycle old clothes into cleaning rags, or try visible mending to make wear-and-tear a design feature.
- Consider textile recycling: If something is truly beyond repair, see if your area has textile drop-off points. Programs like For Days and TerraCycle will recycle worn-out clothes responsibly.
- Pause before you buy: The best way to cut down on waste is simply to consume less. A smaller, loved wardrobe is a happier one…for you and the planet!
A New Story for Our Clothes
Our clothes shouldn’t have to carry the weight of our throwaway culture. When we rethink how we buy, care for, and part with them, we can keep them circulating in our own communities instead of shipping them halfway around the world to become someone else’s problem.
That old sweater in the back of your closet? It deserves a second chapter. Maybe not in a donation bin, but in your hands, transformed, treasured, or shared with someone who’ll really love it.
Be Curious!
- We’ve written about the fashion industry before. Read up!
- Can we really afford cheap clothing? By: Juliet Dunstone
- Fast fashion: the hidden cost of cheap clothing. By: Paul Davies
- Build a capsule wardrobe: focus on fewer, better-quality items you’ll love and re-wear. It reduces clutter, saves money, and lowers your fashion footprint.
- Support brands that offer take-back or repair: some companies, like Patagonia’s Worn Wear, Eileen Fisher’s Renew, or Barbour’s Repair & Re-Wax, will repair or resell your old clothes.· Remember: every garment you keep in use a little longer saves the energy, water, and emissions it would take to make something new.
The post Where Do Our Clothes Go After We Donate Them? appeared first on Curious Earth.
