Recycling used clothing—an important topic, even within the context of a handicraft forum

Hello everyone,
since we recently discussed the topic of fair trade in clothing—here’s the link:
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/forum/topic/6993/thema-fair-trade-beim-kleidungskauf
—I wanted to share a documentary on the topic of used clothing here as well.
This documentary shows how important it is not to just throw old clothes in the trash, but to take them to a clothing drive or a special clothing collection point.
According to the video, there are three possible ways to recycle them:
- Items that still look good and are somewhat in style are passed on to thrift stores and resold
- Old T-shirts, for example, that can no longer be sold are turned into cleaning rags, such as those used in industry.
- Anything that can’t be resold or turned into cleaning rags is shredded until only the fibers remain; these are then used, for example, to make trunk liners for cars, and the dust that’s left over is used to make roofing felt, for instance.
Currently, developers are working on producing new yarn from the fibers of old clothing so that it can be turned into new clothing; however, this isn’t working very well yet because the fibers are very short and therefore not ideally suited for making new clothes.
The Journey of Old Clothing | Galileo | ProSieben
https://youtu.be/Y1PpUuE48Vc
For a craft forum, this might be a topic that doesn’t immediately come to mind if you’re just looking to crochet amigurumi, triangular scarves, or loop scarves, etc. Or if you simply want to browse patterns at your leisure in the Crazypatterns shop.
But I just think that we need to be aware of this issue, too. There’s a lot of talk about buying new clothes—whether it’s about trends, prices, manufacturing conditions, or low wages, etc.
But I mean, clothes aren’t worn forever, so we should also talk about what happens to old clothes once nobody wants them anymore.

I think this topic is perhaps even more important for us here on Crazypatterns than elsewhere
for several reasons
You can always unravel things you’ve made yourself and use the yarn to make something new—at least as long as the yarn holds up. But high-quality yarn can withstand quite a bit. And if you’ve knitted or crocheted it yourself, you usually have a pretty good idea of where to start unraveling it, so it’s not that hard.
Or rather, I think it might be harder to part with things you’ve made yourself—you’re more likely to keep them, or maybe even try to mend or spruce them up if necessary?
Then maybe you don’t need as many new things?
But you probably can’t resell handmade items secondhand, can you? Would you agree with that?

With handmade items, you can be sure that the clothing definitely wasn’t produced in a low-wage country under inhumane conditions.

What are your thoughts on this topic? What do you think about it? Is that even important to you? What do you do with old clothes?
 

Hi.... I always try to use everything. Old shirts are great for filling with stuffing, sewing shut, and then crocheting around them or something like that. Or cutting them into strips and crocheting with them. I recently saw on YouTube that someone made a bag out of 1 shirt in 5 minutes. 

I think it’s important to try to reuse everything like that. 

You can make wonderful things from that. 


I’m looking forward to hearing other opinions and suggestions.

I completely agree with Nicole. For example, I cut T-shirts into strips and crochet slippers, flip-flops, and bags out of them. It’s really quick, looks great, and you don’t have to buy that expensive ribbon yarn.

After muetzekatze's post about the origami skirts, I looked it up and happened to discover the link. I think the idea of turning a pair of worn-out jeans into a denim skirt is totally brilliant. I recently sorted some out and will definitely give it a try since I'm a skirt fan anyway.

But there are also lots of other cool upcycling ideas on the site—just take a look around; I didn't want to keep this from you.
 

http://www.zweitleben.de/2015/01/04/stich-fur-stich-zum-neuen-jeans-mini/

oops, looks like I forgot the link

 

Thanks for the link

http://freshideen.com/diy-do-it-yourself/europaletten-recyceln-diy-mobel.html

This doesn’t really have anything to do with old clothes.
But my nephew recently built a sofa out of pallet wood for a school project. Since then, I’ve been coming across ideas like this more and more often, and I’m often surprised by the ingenious things you can make out of them.

It’s far too good to just throw away or burn. I’ve come to think that way about a lot of things.
Many items can still be repurposed or used in other ways. I’m also part of a group that gives away things that are no longer needed.


 

But the video isn’t really about the regular used-clothing collection itself, but more about clothes or other items that don’t belong there. So what actually happens to the clothes that people actually put into the used-clothing collection?

I'd be interested in that too! I once saw a documentary where some of those old clothes were sent to poorer countries, while others were made into huge bales of fabric. But that was a few years ago. No idea if they still do that! Does anyone know?

Regards, Virginia

I took another look at how the regular used-clothing collection works.
You’d think it would be sent directly to people in need and given to them for free.
But that’s apparently not quite the case. The clothing is resold.
Anything that still looks great is sold to Eastern European countries.
Items that aren’t in such good condition are sold to Africa.
There, people can stock up on clothing relatively cheaply, but they don’t get it for free either. And it ruins the local textile industry.
You can also read about it here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.de/2015/01/02/kleiderspende-altkleidercontainer_n_6406556.html

I think it’s better to donate old clothes—as long as they’re still wearable—directly to local organizations that actually give them away to those in need. A clothing bank or something like that. Or you could take the good items to a thrift store and try to sell them there. Old clothes might still be worth a little money, and you could use that money to buy new clothes.
 

An interesting article. I think it’s worth exploring this topic further. Above all, it makes me think again about how great it is that we have the option to make so many things ourselves and develop our own style. And to value the clothes we own rather than always buying the newest, cheapest, and trendiest items. Isn’t it much nicer to buy or make something of good quality and then wear it for a long time?

I think there simply needs to be more awareness about what happens to the things we no longer want. And way more people should care about this!
I, too, get carried away way too often and end up buying much more than I actually need... But the more I read, the more I resist the urge and end up buying only the clothes I need—and that actually have value.

Hey… so I wanted to donate some stuff locally here too, and it turns out they sell it here as well. I think that’s really sad. That’s why I don’t give my stuff to them.

  I keep items with stains or holes and reuse them for crafts. Or I make painting smocks for my kids out of them when it’s time for watercolor painting.

And once a year, I take clothes that are still in good condition to my parents’ neighbor. Every summer, they bring 50 children from an orphanage in Ukraine to Germany for three weeks for a sort of vacation. Then they travel to Ukraine themselves for a few weeks and bring clothes, stuffed animals, and toys for the orphanage. They give these items away for free to the children who need them. That way, they actually reach those in need.

Or when there are disasters like floods here in our area. I always donate to those causes, too. There are always Facebook groups where families post and say what they need. And you can drive there quickly and drop it off in person.

Unfortunately, there are too many people who profit off donations. And with all those “children in need” appeals, the monetary donations never reach people in full. Because most of it goes toward administrative costs. And that kind of thing really annoys me. 

That really annoys me too—that donations often don’t go 100% to the cause. Sure, people have to make a living too... But I find all that greed for profit absolutely appalling!
The children’s home thing is really nice :) I’ll look into where there might be something like that near me.

Many people probably believe that donating used clothing is a good thing and that they’re doing a good deed. It’s a shame that’s how it has to be.

I have friends from Eritrea; they go home once a year and collect clothes and toys for the children there.
Every year they bring back a video showing how they distributed the items.
It’s an incredible feeling (I admit I always cry) when you see how happy the kids there are and how
they put the clothes on right away—it’s really great to see that your own children’s old things still bring so much joy.
And that’s when I know it’s all real and actually makes a difference.

It’s great that you have a place to take things personally, too—somewhere where the items actually end up.

I can ask my neighbors if they know of similar programs in other towns and maybe find out where to contact them. I’ve only heard about it through word of mouth and because the kids come by every year—it’s just in the neighborhood. 

This topic has been around for a few months now, and I’ve been thinking it over.
Personally, I think I’ll try out in 2016 to see if I can get by wearing only secondhand clothes.
I won’t buy underwear or socks secondhand, and if I have a job interview, I won’t show up wearing secondhand clothes.
But for everything else, I’ve decided to browse through all the secondhand stores around here.
I want to see how much of a difference it makes in terms of price and what the quality of the items is like.
I mean, when you think about how labor-intensive making clothes is—relatively speaking, at least. The clothes are sewn in some low-wage country, perhaps under conditions that no one in Germany would accept, and there might even be children working there. And then there are all the chemicals and everything else that goes into them.

So I figure that buying secondhand whenever possible is a good idea.
So that’s my goal for 2016: to declutter my closet and buy only what I absolutely need. Anything that touches my skin directly will be bought new—I won’t compromise on that.
I’m well aware that you have to wash the clothes before wearing them. :)
I try as much as possible to avoid items that need to be dry-cleaned; I prefer things I can just toss in the washing machine. I actually read the label on a detergent package a while back—it’s creepy. I mean, the warning labels on the back.
I thought for a while about maybe switching to those soap nuts, but I have zero experience with them so far—though I do try to use as little detergent as possible.

I mean, my goal for 2015 was to switch to an organic diet without going broke. That’s doable if you eat less meat and cook a lot yourself, stock up when things are on sale, buy seasonal produce, and so on. But it takes a lot of time—time you wouldn’t otherwise spend on shopping and cooking. Still, I think it’s worth it to me.
So for 2016, I’m going to focus on secondhand clothes.
Are there any fellow forum members who’d like to join me in this?
It’s easier together because then we can exchange tips and all that.

Oh, right, I forgot—you can buy more than just clothes secondhand; there are also electronics, cell phones, printers, and computers. But when it comes to things like cell phones and stuff like that, I really like having a manufacturer’s warranty, which you don’t get when you buy secondhand, as far as I know.
So, I’ll have to think about that some more.

I mean, you can’t completely avoid using up resources anyway, but you can try to use as little as possible and keep using what you buy for as long as you can. Without constantly buying something new. It’s clear that you won’t be able to keep up with the latest trends anymore, but maybe it’s a good idea. I’m just still a little skeptical about whether it’s actually feasible.

Is there anyone here who’s also interested in these kinds of topics right now?

I think soap nuts are very expensive.

Here’s what I do: Grate curd soap or bile soap, then boil it with water until a jelly-like mixture forms (2 L of water for 200 g of soap). Then simply add this to the drum when washing (2–3 tbsp per load).
Advantages: eco-friendly, cheap, removes all stains and odors.
 

I’ve heard that soap nuts don’t necessarily clean clothes very well either. Can you confirm that?
Does the soap mixture you use lather up a lot?
What do you use for wool and similar items?

The soap nut doesn’t clean very well. White laundry, in particular, doesn’t get really clean.
This soap mixture doesn’t lather at all.
For wool, I use my shampoo, and it works very well.




 

Hello,

I’m a huge fan of recycling.

My favorite thing is turning old jeans into stylish cushion covers

These also make great gifts, especially for men.

I also sew bags from old jeans, which I combine with other fabrics. I also really enjoy repurposing shirts. I enjoy it a lot, and I always find it exciting to see what new things come out of it. And they’re always one of a kind.


Best regards,
Angela



 

@oksik
then I think I’ll just leave the soap nuts alone for now. I still have a full package of regular laundry detergent in the bathroom; I think it’s enough for 18 loads. It’s liquid detergent; I don’t like the powder stuff. So I still have a little time to think about what I want to use after that.
If you use shampoo for the wool, do you wash it by hand or in the machine too?
@Naehwittchen, that is a really great name. :) But denim pillows are relatively uncomfortable with all the jeans seams and everything, or is there a trick to it?

 

I did some more research on this topic here
it just won't leave me alone.
By now I've gotten an overview on Google of secondhand shops near me
that's step 1 for now
Step 2 looks like this: I'm ruthlessly clearing out my wardrobe; I've already started on that.
What I'm trying to do at the moment is put together a kind of minimal wardrobe. As few things as possible, only keeping what absolutely suits me, what I really like wearing,
everything that only looks kind of lukewarm has to go.
The goal of the whole thing is a wardrobe that's very manageable, where you can combine everything with everything else as much as possible, and that gets cleared out regularly. I assume that this will tend to come down to basics, classics, and muted colors; bright things and very eye-catching trend pieces just won't fit in anymore

I read in Brigitte that women have around 120 items of clothing on average; I have, or had, more than that. 120 isn't that much once you count it all up. They didn't include socks and underwear in that.
But I mean, you only have to count all the summer T-shirts and scarves and everything, and it adds up quickly, and then you haven't even counted a single pair of pants yet.
How many items of clothing do you all have in your closet, if I may ask so indiscreetly?
How much of it do you actually enjoy wearing?
How much have you never worn, or only rarely?
When you think about how much money is sitting in an average wardrobe.
And, well, the old joke: a whole closet full of nothing to wear ;)

Do you know those super amazing closets, or walk-in closets, or those extra rooms for clothes and shoes that, for example, the Kardashians have? Yes, I admit it, I had a look once, and every now and then I read an article on the topic in some women's magazine; it's hard to avoid the subject.
Anyway, a closet like that would be an absolute dream. But you'd have to have a spare room for it, and who has their own villa just sitting around at home?  ;)
Well, okay, that actually wasn't where I wanted to go with the topic

What I still wanted to talk about was this
Greenpeace apparently took a look at the clothing you can buy at discount stores, and there have apparently been improvements regarding the chemicals in them.
I mean, the stuff really is super cheap. I mean the things you find at Aldi and places like that in those big rummage bins. That you can't necessarily expect “clean” quality goods, in the sense of without chemicals, for just a few euros is actually logical, but hey, it's cheap, and that beats everything.
But on the other hand, there isn't a brand name on it, of course, and for some people that's an argument

But to ask it a different way
what do we actually need all those chemicals in clothing for?
Fabric doesn't go bad, I mean, unlike yogurt it doesn't have an expiration date or best-before date, so what are they good for? I've never understood that; I need to do more research on it.
Or are there actually chemicals that make the production and processing of clothing easier?

Kirsten Brodde, textile expert from Greenpeace: “Fashion has degenerated into a disposable item and is just as short-lived as plastic bags or disposable tableware.”  Quote from here
http://www.brigitte.de/frauen/gesellschaft/kleidung-loswerden-1262036/
I wouldn't have thought it was that bad

That just goes to show once again how important it is to make a statement with DIY clothing.
I don't think anyone would ever get the idea of simply throwing away DIY clothing that took a lot of time to make. Quite apart from the fact that quality yarn isn't exactly cheap.


 

I did a bit of checking now about what chemicals are used for in garments
- dyeing
- wrinkle resistance
- waterproofing finish
- bleaching
- finishing, whatever that’s supposed to mean
- substances that protect clothing from mold during transport
that stuff gets absorbed into the body through the skin, builds up there, and may possibly be carcinogenic.

Consumer advocates advise against clothing whose care instructions include phrases like “Please wash separately” or “Color may bleed.” Because then the garment loses color while being worn too, not just when it’s washed.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textilchemikalien
that would basically also include any somewhat darker pair of jeans, since you’re supposed to wash those separately at first too

that the whole thing doesn’t just endanger people here, but also the workers in the country of manufacture who make the clothing, and also the environment in the country of manufacture, I think it’s about bodies of water,
that’s really intense. and then that stuff accumulates in the water and gets into the bodies of people in the country of manufacture through food

there are chemicals in shoes too

The problem is of course not limited to China, even though China is naturally always mentioned with these kinds of things.
it’s a global problem
I recently read that you should avoid organic products from China
even if it says organic on them, apparently they don’t take organic standards all that seriously in China
in China, allegedly rivers are even said to catch fire now and then because huge amounts of chemicals are constantly discharged into them unfiltered, I read that somewhere recently
intense
http://www.petra.de/mode/modetrends/artikel/der-einsatz-von-chemie-bei-modetrends

so yeah, I’m sticking with secondhand
then I might even be lucky and the chemicals have already been washed out by the time I buy it
but I’ll definitely wash it before I wear it


 

Too bad that’s not really your thing.

I always donate my used clothing—which is still wearable but no longer fits me or for similar reasons—to the Diakonie. There, it’s sold as secondhand goods to people who aren’t so well-off. I do this not only with used clothing but also with other items like dishes, books, toys, etc.
I give the rest of my used clothing to the Red Cross. I’ve never really thought about recycling in that context before. It might be worth considering. But I always thought that by donating to the Red Cross, I was doing a good deed.
When it comes to kids’ clothes, we have a pretty active clothing swap among our circle of friends. Sometimes a single item gets worn by three or four different kids. That’s really great.

@MyBatzi
I think it’s good how you handle it.

But I also think you don’t have to shop in secondhand stores only for reasons of thriftiness.
I wrote above that this will be my project for the new year: going through all the shops here and seeing what they have.
I mean, people don’t really even say secondhand anymore these days. Now it’s called “vintage” and is pretty cool.
So I can’t be the only one who likes that kind of thing. And I hope maybe you can also find something different there from that same old trendy mishmash you usually get in stores. Something individual, so to speak.
Though I’ve actually been making sure for ages to buy almost only things that aren’t so trend-driven, things you can still wear next year or next season without anyone giving you a funny look because it’s yesterday’s trend. At H&M and all those stores, there aren’t even seasons for trends anymore; they’re constantly being added to, depending on what the stores’ buyers currently rate as “has sales potential.”
So for me, they tend to be more basic pieces. I avoid flared pants wherever I can, for example.
They do come back into fashion every now and then, but whenever they’re not in fashion at the moment, they really stand out. And they’re unflattering for the legs. Being individual is one thing, but unflattering is something completely different.
Well.

Did you all actually catch that in the past few days, when it was all over the media that women have to pay significantly more than men for clothing and shampoo and all that, simply because they’re willing to spend more on things like that than men?
In the article I read, it said that as a woman you should just take a look in the men’s department to see whether you can find something more affordable that doesn’t look obviously male. They had calculated what a woman has to pay on average over the course of her life compared with a comparable man.
I actually quite like checking the men’s department now and then. Since I’m almost 1.80 meters tall, it works well for me anyway, especially when it comes to pants and sweaters and things like that. Well, I just wanted to tell you all that and so on.

I’ve never really looked into this topic in this thread in any detail before.