Recycling textiles can save up to 15 times the energy recoverable by incineration.

Discarded clothing and shoes are typically sent to landfill. Textiles present particular problems in landfill. Synthetic (man-made fibres) products do not decompose. Woollen garments do decompose, but in doing so they produce methane, which contributes to global warming and climate change.  The World Health Organisation estimates that 150,000 people die every year from climate change. Closer to home an estimated 15,000 people died in France during the summer heat wave of 2003.

What are the benefits of recycling?
Textile recycling in the UK provides affordable source of clothing to disadvantaged people in the developing world and emerging countries in Eastern Europe. In many of these countries it also provides the basis of economic growth by providing employment for much of the population.

Alan Wheeler of the Textile Recycling Association confirms this when he says this
"demonstrates that clothes recycling is not only good for the environment, but also that it has an important social and economic role to play. The benefits extend to the UK where we estimate that private textile reclamation businesses employ around 5 - 10,000 people, with a further 9,500 employed in UK charity shops. The public and politicians should be fully aware of the crucial contributions this industry makes to the world economy and sustainable development."

Furthermore, by employing over 250,000 people in Europe, of which a large number are from disadvantaged populations, they help fight social exclusion and create jobs as well as diverting resources from landfill.

Where can I get more information?
There are lots of great sites to visit to find out more about textile recycling and recycling in general. These are just a few:

The Textile Recycling Association >
The Environment Agency >
Wasteonline >
The Bureau of International Recycling >
Ollie recycles - Recycling for kids >