Clothing and textiles do not belong in your recycling cart. According to an EPA study, more than 84% of old textile items end up in a landfill. The average person throws away 68 pounds of clothing per year and clothing and housewares account for approximately 10% of the municipal waste stream.Whenever possible, donate clothing to local charities.
For clothes and textiles that cannot be donateed, you can schedule a free pick-up from a textile recycler such as simplerecycling.com, which offers pick-ups in River Forest every Friday. When cleaning out your closets, collect your old clothing, textiles and other small household items and then schedule a free pickup with Simple Recycling. The textile recycling program is aimed at diverting clothing and home goods placed in curbside trash away from landfills. See their website for a full list of the items they accept, including clothing and shoes, bedding, coats and jackets, linens, tools, and toys.