Reuse

Every year, we throw an estimated 336,000 tonnes of clothing in the bin in the UK alone. 

Did you know that you cannot put old clothes in your recycling at home? 

That’s because they can get caught in and clog the machinery at the materials recycling facility. 

You can avoid throwing them in your 1 rubbish bag a week by:

Go shopping in your own wardrobe

Rediscover items you shoved to the back of your drawers. An old top might go really well with the new trousers you just bought.

Swap or donate

Clothes swap with friends or donate them to your local charity shop. Those items you may have grown tired of could become someone else’s favourite new outfit.

Make do and mend

Ask a handy friend or relative to show you how to repair damaged clothes. People often throw clothes with a small rip in the bin. But with some simple hand stitching you could save your favourite items and extend the life of your garments.

Recycle your textiles

Drop off unwanted clothes at your nearest textiles recycling bank or at the Southwark Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Thanks to the Internet it’s easier than ever to get rid of unwanted belongings. You can even arrange collection of your large items that are hard to transport and will not fit in your 1 bag: 

• Freecycle is a non-profit platform where people swap, lend and give away all sorts of items, from kitchen utensils to DVDs
• Ebay and Facebook Marketplace are easy ways to make a little money on all types of items 
• sell clothes you no longer wear on Vinted
• charity shops rely on donations and can even help you have a clear out
• charities like the British Heart Foundation and Emmaus collect large items like furniture that's in good condition

If you're a Southwark resident you can get rid of a wide range of unwanted household and garden items to the recycling centre for free.

You can take most things but it's always better to check before you set off to avoid disappointment.

Find out more about visiting the centre, what you can and cannot take and opening times.