Australians throw out nearly one million tons of clothes every year!
Image: ©iStock.com/vuk8691
The average Australian throws out about 23 kilograms of clothes each year. Most of that rubbish goes straight to the tip, and it can take hundreds of years for those old clothes to completely break down. Even worse, as they break down, old clothes release greenhouse gases!
Old clothes can’t be recycled in our home bins, but there are ways we can reuse them to make our wardrobes more sustainable. Our Sustainability Squad members, Isabelle and Toby, can show us how.
Isabelle showing us where she recycles her old clothes and toys
Isabelle from the Double Helix Sustainability Squad donates her old clothes and toys at her local clothing recycling box. You can join Isabelle by researching your nearest collection point and donate your clothes to others in need. Alternatively, check out your local op shop and donate there to give your clothes a second life.
“When we reuse and recycle different materials, we reduce the consumption of valuable resources like water and electricity used to manufacture these products.” Isabelle says.
Make your own t-shirt tote bag!
Another Double Helix Sustainability Squad member, Toby, helped his school community to turn old clothes into something useful.
“We held a Making Day where students were asked to bring in old t-shirts,” says Toby. “And we would help and teach them how to create that old t-shirt into a reusable and recyclable bag. We would collect their attendance and for each t-shirt that would be successfully saved from landfill we would award their house with one house point.”
Double Helix has an activity on creating t-shirt tote bags here.
There are other ways to save clothes from landfill. Next time you go shopping, ask yourself:
Can you think of other ways to remake, reuse, and recycle clothes? Let us know in the comments!
You can learn more about Isabelle and Toby’s ideas for sustainability in Double Helix Issues 62 and 63.
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