What are some recycling guidelines for clothing and shoes?
Recycling guidelines for old clothes: The obvious answer is to donate your clean, gently used clothing & shoes to local thrift stores. I prefer to donate my clothes to those stores that partner with other agencies to provide free clothes to the poor & homeless via a voucher system. Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul are two programs that provide this service ~ and should be in the Chicago area. Local shelters will also take gently worn clothes, as will “Dress for Success” programs which assist homeless women with job placement opportunities. If your clothes are stained, pilled, torn, missing buttons, bleach stained or have some other damage ~ then they should NOT be donated to thrift stores. Quite frankly, thrift stores will throw those yucky old things in a dumpster and it’s best if you deal with them yourself. Cotton fabric can be cut into cleaning rags; cotton, linen, and wool fabric can be safely composted. Clean material can also be cut apart in 12″ quilt squares, bundled, and
