Diana from Vancouver, BC writes:
Our household regularly recycles clothing through the bins and pickup services widely available around Vancouver. However, over the years I have accumulated quite a backlog of non-reusable cloth: ragged tea towels, worn-thin and torn sheets, stretched-out and stained t-shirts, old underwear, etc.
I can find articles online that discuss the usefulness of these things; that they can be recycled into new cloth or carpet underlay and other things. But I can’t find anybody who can tell me where to take them for this purpose. Do you know?
Lindsay writes:
A backlog of cloth, and rags you say? Well, let’s see… my wardrobe goes through a certain chain of events from brand new to dog-walking attire to pajamas, and then off to Goodwill or Salvation Army in most cases. I don’t have one answer for you where cloth is concerned but let me see if I can get you started on your homework:
1. Contact the Recycling Council of BC . Not sure if they handle cloth, etc. but they may know who does. They have a phone-in hotline or you can email them.
2. If the items are still wearable consider donating them to a local Men’s or Women’s shelter. Wish Drop-In Center Society is limited to women items only. Their most urgent request is for toiletries - if you have some used and unused items (things like lotions, make up toothpaste, soaps etc.) that you would like to get rid of, don’t throw them out - they would use them gladly. They will also take new or used lingerie (underwear, bras).
3. Paper was once made from cloth, before it was made from pulp (trees). Perhaps find out, via Google searching, if anyone in Vancouver does paper making? Or try it yourself. We showed folks how to make paper from their scrap paper at home, but you can likely find a recipe or YouTube video of how to do it from cloth.
4. Next would be to think about who could use spare clothes in your area. Maybe you could wash, bundle and bag them and call up your local automotive shop? Or the car wash near by or the local community hall, etc. Just think who might go through a lot of them and see if they can be useful to someone else. I’m also thinking of artists or studios who make big messes, maybe call the Emily Carr Institute on Granville Island?
