Last year the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough recycled over 1,387 tonnes of textiles through recycling banks provided in each of the Districts and at the Household Waste Recycling Centres. We know our rubbish is made up of potentially 2% textiles and shoes. That means we still sent almost 7,720 tonnes to be buried in the ground. What a waste!

So what happens to it?

Similarly to books, the banks are provided by charities such as Oxfam, Salvation Army and Planet Aid. The clothes and textiles you recycle have a similar fate to the books.

Once banks are emptied, the textiles are taken for sorting and are divided according to their quality. Clothes and textiles in good condition are baled and sent to charity shops to be sold and reused. Alternatively, the clothes might be packed and sent abroad to aid Countries in need. Any worn or damaged textiles are made into industrial rags or cloths. Low quality textiles can be shredded for use in furniture padding.

When using textile banks, please remember to keep the clothes clean and dry by putting them into carrier bags. Shoes should be tied into pairs.

Frequently asked Questions

Q) Where is my nearest textile bank?

A) Visit "Your local recycling scheme" to find out.

Q) how can I recycle items such as duvets, curtains and rugs?

A) These items are best donated to charity shops or sold on our Swap and sell, just click on tab to the right of the page.

Q) My clothes are very old and worn- can I still put them in the recycling bank?

A) Yes, items that cannot directly be re worn will be separated and be sent for further recycling.