Faced with Textile Waste

Natalie Keiling

What is Textile Waste?

First of all, what is a textile? "A textile is any type of material made by weaving, knitting, crocheting, or bonding fibers together. Textiles are used to make products like clothing, towels, bedding, and curtains. They are also used to make industrial goods such as seatbelts, vehicle upholstery, and medical gowns. They can be made from natural materials like cotton and wool, or synthetic materials like polyester and nylon" (“Recycle Right NY”). According to the New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), textile waste is the fastest growing forms of waste with the average person throwing away 81 lbs. of clothing each year. While about 15% of post-consumer textiles are recycled, the "...85% of used clothing and other textiles are ending up as waste in landfills and waste combustion facilities, when the majority of these materials can be reused or recycled providing social, environmental, and economic benefits".

A table from the EPA on textile waste

A graph of textile waste management processes from the EPA's website

To lessen the effects of fast fashion and throwaway culture, reusing and repairing textiles are becoming increasingly popular, along with secondhand markets, such as thrift shops and secondhand clothing stores. Websites like Mercari or Poshmark are another way to purchase secondhand items or sell them online from anywhere across the world.

The image on the right features of two pair of shoes I bought (during separate times within the past few years) from a second hand in good (left) and like new condition (right).

Textile Reuse/Recycling

Environmental Benefits

Reusing/recycling textiles decreases the number of valuable materials that are dumped in landfills. This process reduces greenhouse gas emissions, the amount of toxins (such as pesticides, herbicides, and dyes), as well as save natural resources used in/created from textile production. New York State developed the Recyclopedia as a reference for the right ways to recycle clothing. The sight even includes alternative ways to recycle, such as donating to campaigns like Blue Jeans Go Green, The Bra Recyclers, and Take-back programs hosted by certain brands.

Screenshot from Recycle Right New York's Recyclopedia

Economic Benefits

According to the state's Department of Environmental Conservation, one of the benefits of textile reuse and recycling is that it creates jobs, with the potential to create over 1,000 jobs across New York state alone. It reduces disposal costs for local governments, businesses and residents and allows valuable materials to remain in the supply chain to create sustainable products instead of the landfill. For example, the French textile-to-textile regeneration company, Reju, is building a hub in Rochester, NY. The company expects to regenerate about 300 million articles annually and create approximately 70 new jobs, including engineers, technicians, machinists, and a variety of production roles.

Ways to Practice Textile Recycling/Upcycling

According to the New York State DEC, ways to reduce textile waste include:

Repair/ mend clothing and other textiles to extend the lifespan of already existing items.
Selling high quality materials at retail or online consignment shops to ensure reuse.
Pass down clothing to family, friends, and neighbors to ensure reuse.
Purchase second-hand clothing and textiles from thrift stores, consignment shops, and businesses.
Purchase clothing and other textiles made with recycled content, regenerative materials, and sustainably made.
Consider purchasing less to reduce your environmental impact.
Inventory items at home to avoid purchasing duplicate/ similar textiles.
Rent or borrow items if only needed for a short period of time. Some businesses offer clothing rental services or online clothing rental subscriptions.

Examples of Textile Recycling/Upcycling

The image below represents the materials I would like to upcycle. I'm turning the tablecloth and ribbon into a drawstring bag to protect my family and I's pillows during travel.

An image of the tablecloth and ribbon

Before I start the project, I make sure that the "right" sides of the fabric are facing in on each other and the "wrong" sides are facing outward. I then place the pillow and the ribbon on top of the fabric to get an idea of where to cut.

Once I complete that step I can being cutting. Normally I would create a pattern or mark where to cut with ruler and a marker, but because the tablecloth has a square pattern, I'm going to cut along the lines while also leaving room for a seam allowance.

Taking inspiration from the bag above, I take the ribbon and wrap it around the right side of the bag and tie the two ends together on the left side (repeat this process for the other side as well). Fold the fabric over top of the ribbon and secure it in place with pin for now.

The next step is to pin everything into place and then begin the sewing process. Pin together the sides, bottom, and fabric over top of the ribbon. Be sure to pin the ribbon in place so you won't accidentally sew over it. Lock in the stitch by moving the needle forward, then reversing it a few times before continuing the stitch. Lock in the stitch once more when finished. After the bag is finished, all that's left to do is to turn the bag inside out.

Images of the pinning, sewing process, and the final product

Here at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), one of the ways we're trying to reduce textile waste are events such as the EST Gala. The Gala features a clothing swap and fashion show collaborating with a sustainable artist.

Before attending the EST Gala, I went through most of my clothing. I gathered items that either didn't fit me or fit my style anymore and donated most of them before the Gala, but also brought a few more on the day of (which is featured on the left image).

During the clothing swap, student can bring clothing they no longer need and trade it for another piece they like. Everything from bags, T-shirts, jeans, sweatshirts, and active wear were available to trade.

Images of the clothing items available at the EST Gala. The image on top was captured by the Environmental Studies Student Organization (ESSO) and the two bottom images were captured by me.

An image of the stage for the models to walk across at the EST Gala

An image of students modeling rojofuxia's work captured by ESSO's photographers

The next event of the evening was the fashion show. This year, the Gala collaborate with an artist named Juli Gil Byrnes (rojofuxia), a sociologist and artist. Her work was glamorous, shimmering, and filled with brilliant bursts of color. You can truly feel the love and dedication she poured into each piece.

To check out more of her work, be sure to visit her website: www.rojofuxia.com and follow her on her social media accounts!

After the models walked the stage, students were able to able to walk the stage as well to show off their own sustainable outfits

As the event started to wind down, people started to file out. I thoroughly enjoyed this event and even collected some great items (featured on the right), which included three tops, a pair of pants, and a skirt.

There are many ways to practice textile reuse/recycling, whether its shopping second hand, selling/donating old clothing, trading textiles, or creating your own pieces. Every piece you create or buy sustainably reduces waste, saves valuable materials, and provides new ways to express yourself. Be sure to check out local thrifts, secondhand shops, trading events, and online sights, as you never know what treasures you'll find!

A bag I created out of a pair of jeans

References

EPA. “Textiles: Material-Specific Data.” US EPA, 30 July 2018, www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data. “Governor Hochul Announces French Company Reju Selects New York State to Establish First-of-Its-Kind $390 Million Textile Regeneration Hub in North America.” Governor Kathy Hochul, 2026, www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-french-company-reju-selects-new-york-state-establish-first-its-kind. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.

“Recycle Right NY.” Recycle Right NY, 2019, recyclerightny.org/statewide-recyclopedia. “Recycle Right NY.” Recycle Right NY, 2018, recyclerightny.org/textile-recovery. “Textile Reuse and Recycling - NYDEC.” Dec.ny.gov, dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/recycling-composting/more-things-you-can-recycle/textile-reuse-recycling.

Credits:

Created with an image by kaentian - "The background of the rag pieces of various colors are stacked together in a scattered mess."