According to the EPA, each year, 21 Billion pounds of textile waste ended up in landfills, with the average US citizen throwing away 70-85 pounds of clothing and other textiles annually. Textile production is responsible for the emission of 1.2 billion tons of CO2e into our atmosphere every year. Given that, it behooves all of us to consider recycling existing fabrics into new, reusable clothes to help reduce this staggering statistic.
Textile Waste that can be Recycled
Many types of textiles can be recycled (if they are clean) such as clothes, upholstery, curtains, towels, rugs, carpet, sheets, blankets towels, handbags, mats, and even some footwear.
What Textiles are Recycled Into
Textiles that are damaged may be recycled into something other than clothing or their original form. For instance, textiles can be recycled into towels, mattresses, car insulation, wiping rags, furniture padding, and many other items.
TYPES OF RECYCLING
There are two different types of textile recycling. One is called mechanical textile recycling. This type of recycling physically breaks down or shreds textiles into their component parts. This sometimes results in a lesser quality of residual material. It is considered open-loop, as the new material is not necessarily the same type of item that it was recycled from.
Chemical textile recycling involved the addition of chemical compounds to textiles to break down particles that make up the fabric. This type of recycling is considered closed-loop, as products can be re-made into things they were before without sacrificing as much quality. The problem is that this type of recycling process is not readily available on a commercial, large-scale basis.
Get Started On Textile Recycling Today!
Clothing and textiles are nearly 100% recyclable. Whether the clothing is re-used through a local thrift store like your local Goodwill, sent to another country, broken down and reused into rags, or produced into energy, the goal should be zero-waste.
Harmony’s friendly sales team can help you determine which of our quality clothes baler machines is right for your textile recycling. Call us today at 507-886-6666, or Contact Us for a free quote!
