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Textile Recovery and Recycling
Did you know that residents and businesses dispose of approximately 230,000 tons of textiles annually?
More than 5% of the waste delivered to combustion facilities is made of clothing, curtains, towels, and other fabrics.
About 85% of the textiles currently being thrown away could be donated, reused, or recycled instead.
Contrary to popular belief, donations in any condition are welcomed by most for-profit and nonprofit textile collectors alike. This includes stains, rips, missing buttons or broken zippers. The only unacceptable donations are wet/moldy items and items contaminated with oil or hazardous substances. Items that don't sell in thrift stores are baled and sold to brokers or graders who sell to overseas markets. In developing nations, used clothing and textiles supply local enterprises with materials to repair and resell. Other textiles can be converted to their original fibers and manufactured into other materials, such as wiping cloths or insulation.
Clothing or other textiles should not be placed in curbside trash or recycling carts.
About 85% of the textiles currently being thrown away could be donated, reused, or recycled instead.
Contrary to popular belief, donations in any condition are welcomed by most for-profit and nonprofit textile collectors alike. This includes stains, rips, missing buttons or broken zippers. The only unacceptable donations are wet/moldy items and items contaminated with oil or hazardous substances. Items that don't sell in thrift stores are baled and sold to brokers or graders who sell to overseas markets. In developing nations, used clothing and textiles supply local enterprises with materials to repair and resell. Other textiles can be converted to their original fibers and manufactured into other materials, such as wiping cloths or insulation.
Clothing or other textiles should not be placed in curbside trash or recycling carts.
See below for a list of textile recycling options.
For additional locations to recycle your unwanted textiles, , search the MassDEP Beyond the Bin Recycling Directory
| Collection Box Drop Off | Location | Guidelines |
| Planet Aid | 335 Suffield Street | No wet/moldy items or items contaminated with oil or hazardous substances. Please check collection bin for company specific donation guidelines. |
| 18 Springfield Street | ||
| 619 Springfield Street | ||
| 634 Springfield Street | ||
| Society of St. Vincent | 830 Suffield Street | |
| 80 Springfield Street | ||
| Pay It Forward Recycling | 1282 Springfield Street | |
| St. Pauly Textile Collection | 833 Main Street | |
| Drop off Locations | Address | |
| Hartsprings | 226 Cold Springs Ave | West Springfield |
| Savers | 135 Memorial Ave | West Springfield |
| Salvation Army | 223 E Main Street | Westfield |
| Curbside Collection | Schedule a collection | |
| Hartsprings | hartsprings.org | |
| Pay It Forward Recycling | payitforwardrecycling.org | |
| Salvation Army | satruck.org | |