To begin with, you’re better off supporting brands that have ethical and environmentally responsible business practices or not caring about labels at all.

The consumerist lifestyle generates a lot of income for big businesses, but it does not come without grave environmental consequences.

According to Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART), a person discards eighty-one pounds of clothing on the average in the United States every year. That is equivalent to twenty-six billion pounds of waste that ends up in landfills.

You have to get rid of your old clothes, but it has to be in a way that does not encourage wastage or unsafe environmental practices. How do you do that, though? Here are some options.

Selling

You can do anything and everything on the internet these days, shopping included. Sell your clothes online if you’re that on-the-go, multitasking person who can’t stay too long in a physical store. Online shopping gives you greater access to more customers. If you don’t have any internet connection, you can settle for the old-school garage sale instead.

Upcycling

You can breathe new life into your old clothes by using them for other purposes. Turn your pajamas into scarves, plaid shirts into dresses, and sweaters into fuzzy mittens. The possibilities are endless, and the internet offers many DIY projects you can do.

Recycling

SMART says an estimated two million tons of textile is recycled yearly in the United States. That amount is equivalent to one million cars being removed. You can only imagine how much gasoline use and air pollution is avoided when you recycle clothes.

Textile recycling is a process in which clothes and shoes are sorted according to material. Old clothing can be used as rags, or its materials can be used for fiber or cloth scraps. Try looking for textile-recycling facilities in your neighborhood.

Giving

If you have friends, neighbors, and family members who can fit in these clothes, then give the clothes to them. Unless the problem is about hygiene, wearing hand-me-downs shouldn’t be a big deal. Not buying new clothes every season should not be the basis of your character or how people should respect you.

Swapping

You and your friends can organize clothes-swap parties. Each of you should bring boxes of clothing sorted according to type and exchange your clothes for the ones your friends have and you happen to like. Leftover clothes should be donated to thrift stores or shelters.

Donating

Women’s shelters are also good places where you can give your gently worn clothes. Do remember to check each shelter’s guidelines, though. You should only give away clothes that are wearable. Tattered clothing can be donated to textile-recycling centers instead.

Summing Up

Everyone is responsible for the well-being of the earth. Everyday choices and people’s lifestyles greatly affect how long the planet will live. A sustainable lifestyle is not merely a passing trend. It is a lifelong commitment that everyone should embrace to avoid the depletion of earth’s dwindling resources.

What are your favorite socially conscious ways to get rid of old clothes?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

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