Second Life for your Clothes!
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Sometimes digging through your closet you might find clothing that either doesn't fit or just isn't your style anymore. If your friends and family aren’t in the mood to take it off your hands, fret not! Before trashing them, consider giving it to facilities, initiatives or people who will better appreciate it!
In Singapore, textile waste is a significant problem – with the country generating 254,000 tonnes of textiles and leather waste in 2022 and only 2% of this textile waste was recycled. Here’s how you can keep your clothing in the circular economy:
Recycle Your Clothes
(photo from Cloop but maybe we can take our own photo too!)
The Cloop Life Line Bins textile recycling bins operated by Life Line Clothing Pte Ltd recycling company are found in 400+ locations around Singapore (find one near you here!). New or old, shoes, clothes, underwear, linen – everything is accepted (as long as it isn’t wet).
Nothing goes to waste! These textiles are meticulously sorted into 500 categories, ensuring a second life for everything from designer discards perfect for upcycled fashion to everyday fabrics ideal for overseas markets or repurposed as cleaning cloths.
Swap Your Clothes
For clothes and accessories that are in good, resealable condition, Cloop @ City Sprouts runs clothes swap events and an "Open Wardrobe" shop where you can buy 2nd hand clothes with payment based on a trust system. Swap shops are great examples of what a circular economy manifests.
You can also swap your clothes over at Swapaholic!
Donate Your Clothes
If you’re simply thinking of offloading your clothes, you can donate them over at some places like:
- New2u
- Spare Your Spare
- Minds Shop
- Its Raining Raincoats
- The Barn
- Metta Welfare Association
- SSVP (donations currently suspended as of April 2024)
Though this list is certainly not extensive, feel free to plug in anything that you’re considering to trash over at Recyclopedia to find alternative ways to discard your belongings!