The Truth About Clothing Donations

Clothing donations are meant to be for clothing and shoes in good reusable condition. So, what do you do with the clothes you can't resell or otherwise donate for resale? This was the question posed to me just five short months ago. As I began cleaning out closets and pulling out my older son's hand me downs for my toddler, I also realized that some of his clothing had too many holes and stains. Since they could not be worn by my toddler, I begin looking for recycling facilities that can recycle torn and stained clothing & shoes.

What I found were mostly non-profits that collect clothing for a good cause mind you. However, most indicate the clothing they collect must be in wearable condition. So what happens to the clothing that cannot be resold or given away? Unfortunately, the answer is that these items are packaged with other clothing that might be in sellable condition, and sold to countries in Africa and South America. At first, I thought this was a good thing. Clothes that cannot be resold here in the United States, Europe, Canada and other parts of the world, are being reused by others in less fortunate countries.

The problem I came to realize after doing more research, is there is simply too much used clothing in the world. The amount of used clothing being delivered to these countries is greater than the needs of those people. So, despite best effort to avoid landfills, your clothes end up there anyway, only now that have also traveled overseas and become another country's physical problem. Globally we all share the same air, so the impact of clothing in Africa's landfills is the same as it that in the United States landfills.

This discovery broke my heart, and I started my path to building Zero Panik to resolve and fix this broken system and further to ensure that the clothing you donate is recirculated into the hands of people who will resell, repair or renew.

Downcycling vs. Upcycling vs. Recycling

Downcycling clothing is another common ending to your donated clothing. When clothing is properly sorted, damaged items are removed, and sent to firms who can down cycle them into rags and insulation for construction and the automotive industry.

Downcycling clothing is an exciting new development in the recycling industry. Innovative companies like Circ, re:newcell, Ambercycle, Worn Again, and Block Texx are all defining their own part in the new technology where clothing can be broken-down into polymer and fibers to create new recycled fiber, that can then be used to make new clothing. This is well overdue, and we are excited to support these companies on their mission to increase clothing recyclability to include blended fabrics.

Our Vision

The path to a circular economy is not a straight line, and to keep doing things the way we have been and expect change is the definition of insanity. Our vision of a circular fashion system incorporates the brands, retailers, and customers all working together. Zero Panik is the bridge that will carve new paths for consumers and brands to connect. Learn More about Zero Panik Textile Recycling Services.