Recycle Week 2013

As part of recycle week 2013, DEFRA have developed this infographic about clothing waste with support from WRAP. It's shocking to see the figures, but great to see clothing in the spotlight for recycle week!

Don't let your clothes be disposable - reduce, re-use and recycle!

Recycle Your Vans

Whilst in Brighton last week I noticed this incentive to take back your old Vans in order to get money off a new pair. Although I'm not sure exactly how these shoes are 'recycled', I like the incentive Vans give to their customers to take back and 'recycle' their old shoes (although simultaneously providing an incentive to buy a new pair!).

After some further investigation it turns out that Vans have also experimented with more 'sustainable' materials such as recycled PET and hemp.

I would like to see all shops offering services to take back, repair, reuse or recycle the products they sell in the first place.

Dress Making Workshops

These are four of the most commonly referred to businesses that provide workshops for garment making and alterations. They range in prices and availability but guarantee a fun social event, and you can also book in for private parties!

The Make Lounge

The Papered Parlour

Sew Much Fun

Fabrications

Revolve: Recycled Products

Walking past a skip today I saw this circuit board on the top of the contents. It reminded me of a company I heard of initially about 3 years ago -Revolve UK. They take circuit boards, plastic bags, juice cartons, coffee cups, yoghurt pots and plastic bottles and recycle them into new materials and products. Click here to be taken to their website. They are familiar products made with unusual and unique 100% recycled materials.

Recycling Vans that have been driving round London

LMB Textile Recycling

LMB In East London

Professional Texile Recyclers

Lawrence M. Barry is a large textile resale, reuse and upcycling plant.

With over 400 textile and clothing donation banks around London, LMB are a great source for Upcycling designers.

The majority of the clothing donated is sold to African second hand clothing merchants who sell on the clothing or 'mitumba' in markets.

The clothing unsuitable for resale or reuse is sold to textile downcycling and flocking companies who break down the fibres to create fabrics of lower quality.

As well as sourcing unwanted clothing, LMB also work with companies to take the old uniforms and promotional clothing that is no longer required.

The company is involved with education and design collaborations, providing source material for Upcycling designers and design students at various Universities including University of the Arts London.

A new initiative with students from the Univeristy of East London and Dr.Noki to open an Upcycling shop on Bethnal Green Road!!! AMAZING!!!

I collaborated with Zoe Fletcher who is also on my MA course to create a short film about the amazing work LMB do! Click here to be taken to You Tube

Recycle Signs hit the Floor

Paving stones on the floor in Whitstable town in Kent with recycle signs to decorate them!

Recycle, Donate, UPcycle

Recycle & Downcycle: Clothing and textiles that can be broken down and used for their fibre content. The yarn and resulting fabric produced may not be of a good quality, in which case this process can be referred to as 'downcycling'. However, if the fibres and yarn produced are similar quality or better than the original, the term recyling is more relevant.

Donate: Passing on clothing of good condition to be sold on and worn again without making any adjustments, usually such items are donated to a charitable organisation.

Upcycle: Clothing most suitable for this category will be clothing that is mostly of good quality but may have a stain or tear in the fabric, or the garment is unwearable in another way. Such clothing will not be taken to a charity shop as it is unsuitable for resale, and for many people the only option for clothing of this nature will be thrown into the bin, thrown 'away'.

Charities, The High Street and Recycling

Oxfam and Marks and Spencer


As mentioned in a previous blog post, the union between Oxfam and Marks and Spencer encourages consumers to donate their unwanted M&S clothing to Oxfam in return for vouchers to be spent at the national high street retailer. Part of the 'Plan A' initiative encourages consumers to think about re:use and encourages them not to throw their old and unwated clothing away. See the Marks and Spencers Plan A website for more information on the Clothing Exchange

TRAID
(Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development)

has many charity shops in and around London, collecting clothing and sorting them at their Wembley headquarters. TRAID also have many clothing banks situated around the country and in 2002 launched their Upcycling initiative TRAID:remade.

This photograph was taken in the flagship Topshop store in Oxford Circus, London, of a traid clothing donation bank. Topshop customers are encouraged to donate their unwanted clothing to the charity.

How To Donate Your Unwanted Clothing

There are many ways to donate your unwanted clothes to charity. Donation bags can be collected from your local charity shop and are often delivered to your house. Large boxes are located in all communities and can usually be found near recycling bins for more popular recyclables such as plastic and paper. Where the clothes and shoes are to be donated please make sure they are in good condition.

Clothes that are stained, worn or damaged try making them into cloths or more domestic textile products or find your nearest textile recycler - this will often be called 'downcycling' - but doing the same job as the 'rag and bone men' of a previous time.