Frequently asked questions.
Answers to common questions about how we work, what we accept, and how you can get involved.
Reuse always comes first - rewearing, repairing and regifting keep textiles in use for longer. When something has genuinely reached the end of that road and recycling is the best next step, here's where it goes.
We can recycle
Textile Products
- Cotton, linen, harakeke and other natural plant fibres
- Wool, alpaca, cashmere and other 100% natural animal fibres
- Wool mixes - any amount of wool mixed with anything else
- Polyester, polycotton mixes, viscose, rayon, acrylic, tencel, lyocell, modal, bamboo and other synthetics (except 100% nylon, polyamide or nylon/elastane)
after.
- Fabric remnants
- Nylon, polyamide and nylon/elastane blends
- Socks
- Bedding
- Towels
- Soft furnishings and homewares
We can't recycle
Regifting
We can't recycle these, but we can pass them on - so only send them if you don't have a local charity or someone who'd want them, and they're in good enough condition to regift. Use the friend test: would you be happy to give this to, or receive it from, a friend?
- New bras, underwear and swimwear
- Oilskins
- Vinyl, polyurethane (PUL), 'vegan' leather, plasticised, rubberised, wet-look or other coated fabrics
- Sheepskins, furs and leather
We can't accept these
- Wet items
- Used underwear, bras or swimwear
- Polypropylene
- Fabric contaminated with oils or solvents (e.g. used workshop rags)
- Curtains - try your local curtain bank
- Stuffed toys
- Down or feather filled items
- Duvet inners
- Shoes or handbags
Yes, please wash and fully dry everything before you pack it up.
We do wash items that come in from op shops and charities, because donations often arrive at their door unwashed - and unwashed clothing is one of the top reasons items end up binned rather than resold. When you've cared enough to send us your clothes to steward, we trust you've washed and dried them first. That keeps our laundering allies running smoothly, so we can all do more good together.
Everything is sorted when it arrives. Items in good condition go to redistribution - passed on through community pathways, listed in our online shop or TradeMe shop, or shared with partner organisations. Items that can't be worn again but are made from suitable fibres become rags or are sent to Textile Products for recycling, where they're processed into new materials like Retex boards, mattresses and acoustic panels. Our aim is always to find the best next use for everything - landfill is the last resort.
The easiest way for individuals is our prepaid courier bag - fill it, seal it, send it back. Postage is included. For larger volumes, whether you're a business, a charity, or just clearing out a storage unit, contact us first so we can plan the logistics properly.
Not a public one - everything is arranged in advance. Individuals can use our prepaid courier bags, which include postage. Businesses and charities can also use these, host a collection box or, for larger volumes, should get in touch so we can work out the best way to collect.
If you would like a drop-off point in your community you could suggest it to your favourite op shop or other aligned business and they can host a collection bin with us.
Textiles are often complex to prepare for recycling compared to other recyclables.
There is also no emphasis on textile recycling coming from central government, which means there is no public money available to develop or subsidise solutions as there is with other recycling streams. Textiles cannot be collected with kerbside recycling either, because they must remain dry.
However, the biggest reason is that the products of textile recycling need a steady market at a decent price before more recycling can be done. There's no shortage of textiles to recycle. The shortage is in the uptake of uses for the products of recycling. More imagination at this end is needed - can you put yours to the task and tell us about it?
Not yet - we're a registered company operating not-for-profit, transitioning to a charitable trust as soon as we can. Our purpose is social and environmental, and everything we earn goes back into the work.