wearable and unwearable tewtiles

WEARABLE TEXTILES

SHOES : Resold abroad in countries like Pakistan, India, Africa and East European countries.

CLOTHES : Resold in the U.K. and abroad. Oxfam's Wastesaver provides clothes to Mozambique, Malawi or Angola for emergency use, as well as providing warm winter clothing to former Yugoslavia, Albania, Afghanistan and Northern Iraq.


UNWEARABLE TEXTILES

TROUSERS, SKIRTS, ETC. : Sold to the 'flocking' industry. Items are shredded for fillers in car insulation, roofing felts, loudspeaker cones, panel linings, furniture padding etc.

WOOLLEN GARMENTS : Sold to specialist firms for fibre reclamation to make yarn or fabric.

COTTON AND SILK : Sorted into grades to make wiping cloths for a range of industries from automotive to mining, and for use in paper manufacture.

destination of post-consumer textiles

Recycling textiles: What can YOU do?

• Take your used clothes to a textile bank. Contact the recycling officer in your local authority if there are no banks in your area and ask why; they may collect textiles through other means. Alternatively you can take used clothing to local charity shops.
• Give old clothes/shoes/curtains/handbags etc. to jumble sales. Remember to tie shoes together: part of the 6% of textiles which is wastage for merchants are single shoes.
• Buy second-hand clothes - you can often pick up unusual period pieces! If bought from a charity shop, it will also benefit a charity.
• Buy things you are likely to wear a long time - a dedicated follower of fashion can also be a green one if items are chosen carefully.
• Look for recycled content in the garments you buy. This should be on the label, though at present there is no conventional marking scheme and some companies do not always advertise the recycled content.
• Buy cloth wipers instead of disposable paper products as the product can be used repeatedly.
  

recycling paper

What are the main types of paper in everyday use which can be recycled?

• Office white paper
• Newspapers, magazines, telephone directories and pamphlets
• Cardboard
• Mixed or coloured paper
• Computer print out paper

What can I do to reduce the amount of paper being wasted?

• Try not to use as much in the first place! Use the back of sheets of paper as well as the front - look to see if that piece of paper you were going to put in the bin could be used as scrap paper for many uses eg to make a shopping list, to jot down your dental appointment or to leave a note for someone.
• Buy recycled paper products wherever possible.
• Reuse envelopes - sticky labels to cover the old address and re-seal the envelope are widely available, also made from recycled paper. Many charities sell them, so you can support them at the same time.
• Playgroups and schools may appreciate being given odd rolls of wallpaper, or any other kind of paper, for painting on or for other uses in the classroom. They are also often glad to receive newspapers to cover the tables for craft activities.
• When you buy a pint of milk or a soft drink, think about the container it is in. Is there an accessible recycling bank for the packaging, or might you end up throwing it away? It would be better to choose the product in the container you know you can dispose of locally for recycling.
• Contact The Mailing Preference Service (details under further contacts) to avoid receiving unsolicited mail.
• By putting a "no junk mail" sign by your letterbox you can cut junk mail such as pizza delivery leaflets by around 90%.
• Contact the BioRegional Development Group for information about paper made from fibres other than wood pulp.
  
  

tin cans