How To Recycle Your Old Textiles
Making your way through a wardrobe clean-out? Deciding to finally part-ways with that gifted item you've never brought yourself to adorn? Or are you simply running out of precious cupboard space and are desperate to initiate a drastic cull? Sounds like it might be time to recycle some of those old pieces!
*Cue Upparel*
An initiative passionate about reducing the negative impact that the fashion industry has on our environment, Upparel accepts a range of unwanted textiles and repurposes them in an effort to tackle the waste produced by the fashion industry’s over-consumption.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Start by purchasing a collection via the Upparel website that corresponds to the total weight of the items that you have to be collected. The collection fee starts at $25 for 10kgs worth of items and increases depending on the total weight of the items and the boxes they are packaged in.
Once you've confirmed your collection requirements, it's time to pack your items! To ensure your textiles are viable for collection, see below a full list of what Upparel can and cannot accept.
List of items you can recycle:
Clothing (jeans, shirts, coats, etc)
Hats
Wireless Bras
Socks and stockings
Shoes
Linen
Fabric mattress protectors
Fabric cut-offs and sewing scraps
Fabric couch covers and curtains
Bathers and swimwear
Wetsuits
List of items you cannot recycle:
Duvets/Doonas
Pillows/Cushions
Unwashed items
Underwear
Carpet
Bags (handbags, duffel bags, etc)
Soft Toys
Wired Bras
3. Once you're certain that your textiles are indeed recyclable, give any shoes a wipe and any fabrics a quick wash and you’re all set to get packing! In an effort to reduce waste and emissions, Upparel does not send any form of packaging for the user to fill with their items, instead they encourage the use of any sort of box (not garbage bag) that is approx 46cm x 41cm x 42cm ie. a food delivery box, grocery box or moving box. Fill up your chosen box with the items you're almost ready for collection!
4. Once your box is full, sealed and ready for pick-up, email Upparel with your: name, number of boxes and pick-up address. From their Upparel will assist in organising your collection via their Boomerang portal or an alternative pick-up service, sending through to you any required packaging labels.
And if you’ve got some great natural fibres, you can learn to dye them with plant dyes! Download the free ebook ‘Natural Dyeing For Beginners’ or join me in our online course!
