Now that winter has almost past and spring is arriving, people are beginning to consider clearing out their winter wardrobes. However, instead of throwing away unwanted clothes, residents are being asked to take them to local textile banks or donate them directly to local charities.
The council has several textile banks at neighbourhood recycling centres across the borough, and any funds raised from them are donated to the Mayor’s charity Sutton Mental Health Foundation. Many charities and community groups also collect clothing, shoes and other textiles to raise funds.
Primarily the council is looking for good quality second-hand clothing but almost everything taken to the textiles banks will be reused. If an item of clothing is not good enough to be re-worn, it may be turned into industrial wiping clothes or compressed to make upholstery padding.
Sutton Council already collects 164 tonnes of unwanted clothes and textiles each year, but about £280,000 worth of used clothing and shoes in the borough still goes to landfill and generates 823 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Residents are being encouraged to recycle clothes as part of the council’s ‘One Planet Sutton’ target to be a carbon neutral borough by 2025. The ‘One Planet Sutton’ Plan aims to give residents a better quality of life and boost the local economy while radically reducing the borough’s negative impact on the environment. Recycling also helps raise money to increase local charities’ income.
Carshalton Central ward Cllr Jill Whitehead, who is Chair of Sutton Council’s Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee, said:
“It’s great that so many residents are using our recycling services, but we want to be an even greener borough. We’d like to encourage more people to recycle their unwanted clothes, shoes and handbags so that we can make an even bigger difference.
“If you’re clearing out your wardrobe over the next few weeks, please remember that there are many ways to recycle items you no longer need, such using the council’s textile banks or giving items directly to charity. Donating to a charity or community group helps raise funds for the organisations that do great work locally.
“Recycling means less waste goes to landfill, which reduces our landfill tax and saves the council money which can be put into other services. It also reduces our CO2 emissions, helps to prevent climate change and reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.”
Debbie Wilson, Manager and Donna Welch, Assistant Manager at St Raphael’s Hospice charity shop in Rosehill said:
“We urgently need sellable donations in all our branches.
“Unfortunately a lot of people do not realise that we can still get money for the charity from clothes, shoes, bedding, and bags even if they are not suitable for resale in our shops. This is because we are paid for them by a recycling company – and every penny made goes directly to our hospices.”