Recycling in every room: the Bedroom
We don’t really think about our bedrooms when we’re thinking about recycling. But did you know that the fashion industry is the second largest polluter after oil and gas?₁
Fabric Decomposition Rate
Linen (2 weeks)
Cotton - (1 week - 5 months)
Hemp & Wool - (1 year - 5 Years)
Nylon - (40+ years) made from plastic
Polyester - (500+ years) made from plastic
We often get a question about recycling coathangers. They should never go in the recycling bin as they cause issues at the recycling plant. Right now, we’re not aware of anywhere that recycles hangers. (If you do - let us know!)
If you have clothes hangers that are still in good condition, you could donate them to Op Shops or put them on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree for free.
RecycleSmart collects:
Soft plastics: Garment bags
Clothing: In sellable condition: bags, belts, dresses, gloves, hats, jackets, jumpers, jeans, pants, purses, scarves, shirts, t-shirts, shoes, shorts, skirts, slippers, vests
Unwearable textiles: clothing and linenE-waste: Alarm clocks, charger cord
Misfits: Lightbulbs, batteries
Sustainable Swaps:
Buy second hand at Op Shops or Facebook Marketplace
Sell your clothes: Depop: buy and sell clothes from users on the app, Swop: sell your eligible clothes to the platform and receive cash or store credit
Shop sustainable brands: Goodonyou.com is a website where you can check the sustainability rating of clothing brands. They give a brand a rating out of five, divided into how good it is for the planet, people and animals.
Organise a clothing swap: Between your group of friends or with your wider community, check out The Clothing Exchange for their upcoming clothing swaps.
Recycling tip: Try upcycling something you already own. Checkout #upcycling on Instagram and Tiktok for ideas.
Sources:
1. Geneco.uk.com - Fast Fashion and its impacts
