Source: Facebook/WearableCollections

Clothing is Not Garbage — says New York City’s Wearable Collections

Wearable Collections is a NYC based company focused on keeping clothing, textiles and shoes out of landfills while generating funds for charities, with many residents now enjoying the convenience of a clothing recycling bin in their building.

One company is bringing clothing recycling right to New Yorkers’ doorsteps

Everyone is used by now to recycling regular household items, but what are we supposed to do with clothing? The answer is simple: recycle your garments! If you live in the New York City area, Wearable Collections is the textile recycling program for you. The company is all about making clothing recycling accessible for New York residents by providing recycling bins for apartment buildings, where tenants can simply place their clothes. This way, residents do not have to transport clothing to a recycling center or another location. It is all about convenience. — Recycle Nation

Clothing is not garbage! Over 200 residential buildings in NYC are enjoying the convenience of a Wearable Collection clothing recycling bin on premises. Source: Facebook/MakeAChangeWorld

More than 200 residential buildings are taking advantage of onsite recycling bins

Wearable Collections provides recycling bins for apartment buildings in the New York City area, where tenants can simply place their clothes. In this way, residents don’t have to transport their old clothing to a recycling center or other location. So far, more than 200 residential buildings are taking advantage of Wearable Collections. 

In an interview with Recycle Nation, the company’s CEO, Adam Baruchowitz, shared some thoughts on the importance of Wearable Collections. 

“I think there are several reasons why Wearable Collections is important,” Baruchowitz said, “one of them being that we came up with a local solution for a not so tiny locale. We, as New Yorkers, understand the problems with waste — more specifically the issues disposing of textiles — and came up with a solution that is both convenient and efficient, both very necessary to New Yorkers. Another thing we have done is brought transparency and some modernity to a very old industry,”

Baruchowitz continued. “This is something that is important for every industry, and something that was sorely missing in the world of clothing donations. The final thing, and one that I am very proud of, is raising the consciousness of the value of items in our waste stream. 

I don’t think we are alone in this, but clothing is a very clear example of what can be reused. I think people get it right away. It doesn’t make sense to throw away items that people can reuse. This same thinking translates into many other materials in our waste stream.” 

Source: RecycleNation

Since the mid 1940's US charities and the post-consumer textile recycling industry have repurposed and recycled billions of pounds of clothing, household textiles, shoes, and accessories. This ensures your old clothing, footwear, and textiles continue to add value to the U.S. economy and beyond.
It is easy to be green — simply donate and recycle what you buy and wear when no longer useful Since the mid 1940’s US charities and the post-consumer textile recycling industry have repurposed and recycled billions of pounds of clothing, household textiles, shoes, and accessories. This ensures your old clothing, footwear, and textiles continue to add value to the U.S. economy and beyond. Source: WearDonateRecyle.org

“It doesn’t make sense to throw away items that people can reuse,” — Adam Baruchowitz

Not only does the organisation believe in diverting textiles from landfills, but it also believes in raising money for charities. It is all about hosting clothing drives to promote organisations, strengthen communities and raise funds. The organisation even pays you for the clothing drive by purchasing every piece of clothing, shoes, sheets, towels, etc. donated.

Wearable Collections’ official website states — “According to the Council for Textile Recycling, the clothing recycling industry prevents 2.5 billion pounds of post consumer textile waste from entering the solid waste stream each year. Charities play a crucial role in the success of the industry, collecting clothing that might otherwise be headed to a landfill.”

However, the organisation can only do so much at once, so in an attempt to access most New Yorkers, Wearable Collections has partnered with GrowNYC, a hands-on nonprofit focused on improving New York’s environment. Through GrowNYC’s Greenmarkets, Wearable Collections is able to collect more clothing, and offer more options for those looking to donate and recycle textiles. 

Baruchowitz is not looking to expand the company any time soon, since he says “there is so much work to do here in the NYC metro area,” but Wearable Collections is working on expanding in terms of another division. 

“We are very close to launching a shoe recycling division of Wearable Collections that will be called Walkable Collections,” Baruchowitz reveals. “There are certain components of this business that make more sense on an economical and ecological basis that will allow us to take it national. We are very excited to bring our services to wider range of people.” — from an interview with Allyson Koerner, for Recycle Nation

Below: Walkable Collections is a subsidiary of Wearable Collections that focuses specifically on recycling shoes.

Walkable Collections Walkable Collections is a subsidiary of Wearable Collections that focuses specifically on recycling shoes. Source: YouTube/WalkableCollections
‘By placing bins within apartment buildings, residents can now recycle clothing as easy as they can recycle cans and newspapers. Not only are we able to divert textiles from landfills, we are able to raise money for charitable organizations. We believe that this is a winning formula and are proud to be among the businesses making NYC a leader of the Green revolution.’ — Wearable Collections
‘What if we could bring the convenience that New Yorkers demand to clothing recycling?’ ‘By placing bins within apartment buildings, residents can now recycle clothing as easy as they can recycle cans and newspapers. Not only are we able to divert textiles from landfills, we are able to raise money for charitable organizations. We believe that this is a winning formula and are proud to be among the businesses making NYC a leader of the Green revolution.’ — Wearable Collections Source: WearableCollections

We throw away tons of clothing — here are 3 things you can do with it instead

Recycling your clothes is a simple, effective way to be kind to the planet, but of course, buying less clothing to begin with is a great way to keep it from the landfill.

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