How To Recycle Old Clothes | One Small Step

[@aleenaprasannan2146]

1. Don't buy any clothing you won't wear for at least 5 years. 2. Just stop trying to keep up with trends 3. A clothing is unusable only when it's either damaged or when you 'grow' out of it. 4. Repurpose damaged clothes. Just make a cloth bag out of it, be creative. 5. Sell/Recycle/Donate 6. Don't gift clothes

[@jacob_ian_decoursey_the_author]

This. This right here^

[@els1f]

Seriously, gifting clothes is a pretty bad idea. "oh thanks for this chore I have to do now 😬"

[@aleenaprasannan2146]

Elsif I'm 28 and my mom still insists on showing love by buying me dresses or earings that catches her eyes....so I know on a personal level how bad this is

[@mindakahn9964]

Aleena Prasannan In theory you’re right. But after you hit menopause your body does things you can’t imagine. This my three year rule. I say buy it and wear it. Never save it because you end up with an old unworn item.

[@stebarg]

You don't necessarily have to throw away a t-shirt or trousers if they have a little damage. Some people pay serious money for buying damaged new clothes. Be brave and wear damaged clothing if it's looking good and feels comfortable. The braver you are the better it looks 😉👍🏽😃

[@jasrajsinghbhinder5033]

It's good that recycling of clothes is getting mainstream. But I don't get it : why are people buying so many clothes in the first place??

[@FrostyApril]

For $30 at the GAP, my friend walked out with 3 pairs of dress pants, 4 shirts from clearance. It is cheaper to buy new things than to spend time to mend older ones and the quality of the purchases do not stand up to the test of time for many brands (cheap for a reason), add this to impulse buying, and our obesity epidemic (people contually dieting fluctuate in size a lot). Some of it is boosted by or increasing social media influence, wanting fresh outfits for attending events like weddings etc.

[@za7v9ier]

Fashion and trends

[@mitchleblanc5211]

Because your made to believe that to be happy you need materialistic things in your life

[@DarlingGlitch]

I think it exploded even more after people started to film their shopping “hauls” which promoted fast fashion retailers like H&M, Forever 21, and Zara. I kind of blame haul culture, but that’s only one aspect of why people started to buy a lot of clothes

[@skanda9733]

Vanity & Social acceptability more than genuine need makes people buy more & more clothes. Buy few, Use, Reuse, Repurpose.. in some months or a year its time to replace whatever few owned. Time for a whole new set of clothes. Better than storing too many very less used clothes for years

[@FRISHR]

“It costs money to get rid of garbage.” We all need to be aware of that.

[@qa8270]

And that is another reason Africa rejected import of used clothes

[@Skaye273]

& CO2 (to run garbage trucks etc)

[@chris-2496]

It's pretty cheap to landfill, especially compared to price of clothes sewn in sweatshops.

[@Megamanthemachine]

It’s a priceless cost to keep our earth and just for our own sakes to keep the environment going. This may sound very stereotypical but I do feel in my honest opinion that one day we wish we eventually have an opportunity for all to be able to be free and have greater opportunities to ride the impact of waste.

[@milkk3019]

+1, things will go to triftshops but if not sold, [maybe not THAT much but] i think very probably burn or just exported in landfill which is awful to these who live nearby and environment itself

[@Shetasen]

I remember when i was a kid, every Christmas my family would gather with all their old clothes to be hand me downs and thr kids would just sort through the stuff. At the end whatever was left over, we put it in the donation bin or grandmas would take them for rags or rag rugs.

[@kimberlychodur3508]

@@robynnordstrom7799 when I was growing up, hand me downs were quite common, especially if you had sisters and brothers. We would get a new outfit at Christmas, new underwear, socks and bras when school shopping but probably over 90% of my clothes were hand me downs. This was common in the seventies when I grew up. Maybe parents need to go back to this. This probably saved parents lots of money, we had four kids in our family, 3 girls and a boy, so every item got passed down, if it was gender neutral, my brother even ended up with it.

[@lhv569]

My aunt was an amazing seamstress and made dresses in different colors for my 3 older cousins. I remember looking forward to our August trips to visit, as I knew I was going to be gifted great school hand me downs. Different years, different colors, but all made to last through several girls. We also had school clothes and chore/play clothes. You better not be caught in your school clothes out back in the sandbox.

[@Nicole-ew5kl]

I know a girl who told me she never wear the same outfit twice. Shocking to think how much waste is being created because of that and how many young people have the same thinking these days.

[@Volinazhradeanakyounonazo]

Maybe she talking about to wear them in different way

[@Nicole-ew5kl]

C1709V VLOG she was buying a new outfit with each occasion she was going to...

[@Volinazhradeanakyounonazo]

@@Nicole-ew5kl D:

[@DeathShiniGama]

This thinking is so common especially with the upper class, like the 1%. Example being on a show called 'Yummy mummies'. I wish people relied more on rentals for fancy outfits, like tuxedo rentals. Or that our culture didn't spend so much money trying to make everyone unique with materials.

[@Volinazhradeanakyounonazo]

@@DeathShiniGama i'm agree with you :(

[@wing3789]

I've been made fun of for having clothes that are 10 years old. I've known people who thinks they can only wear a dress once pictures were taken at a specific event. It's social norms that we need to address, but it does seem like there's been quite a bit of improvements

[@aprild3250]

Wing Ng Totally agree. I wear clothes that have holes in them. I tell people it’s my style and I’m starting a trend. I wear expensive jewelry with it and they’re so confused! 😂

[@KM683250]

I'm 33 years old, and I still have several clothes from my high school days. I even have at least one skirt/top outfit that I know I've been wearing since middle school! It's still nice enough to wear to church too.

[@jessicathompson236]

Wing Ng, Me too, I just shrug at them and come back with a comment depending on their rudeness.

[@alonzomartii]

try 15 years. LoL

[@can1687]

Thats Great. ignore them

[@benzin5458]

I don't even have 40 garment total. I replace clothes only after old clothes are unusable. I couldn't imagine buying 65 garments a year.

[@Napalm_Candy]

That's what I'm saying! Must be nice to have that much disposable income. And by the time I'm ready to get rid of clothes they are worn to tatters (I use anything holey but still wearable as yard work clothes), unless it's something that shrunk.

[@jsilva7005]

@@Napalm_Candy its not even disposable income. So many people lice beyond their means through credit cards. Or you can go to the projects and see people wearing Jordan's. A lot of low income people spend all the cash they have on expendable items instead of creating savings.

[@Napalm_Candy]

@@jsilva7005 That's true too! And it's nuts to me. I could never justify spending more than I have on anything other than my health or emergencies.

[@goodhairwoman]

Me too!

[@skanda9733]

Why buy so many clothes? Use till no more usable, Day clothes when no longer wearable, use to lounge arnd home & to sleep in.

[@katyoutnabout5943]

I’ve been shopping ethically/sustainably for a 3 years now. I have no need to “clean out” my wardrobe anymore. Anything that’s no longer wearable by day, i wear for sleeping. Anything that’s not wearable for sleeping, i turn into cleaning rags and tea towels. So far this year (august now) i’ve bought a pair of jeans, a blouse, and a bra. The blouse happened to be from Pull&Bear, which is a sister brand of Zara. I cannot believe the poor quality anymore. I understand how people get into a cycle of buying cheap. When you truly change your shopping habits and ideals, there is no longer the need for many of these services mentioned in the video. Finding what to do with clothing waste is not a solution. Please change the way you shop, not what you do after you shop.

[@ube4856]

What are brands you buy from now?

[@katyoutnabout5943]

Ube Buttercream clothing is an ethical clothing brand local to me, and i occassionally buy an item or two when i need something. Or else i buy secondhand. And i only buy things i neeeed or loooove. Hence only buying three items in 8 months. If something i need/love is not available to me by an ethical company, i eventually buy from somewhere in a mall. No specific brand. But please be careful, the point im trying to make above is to simply buy less in the first place.

[@rg1whiteywins598]

Same.

[@daniellek6603]

👏👏👏👏👏 u dropping truth bombs. I'm in the process of changing up how I buy clothing. I don't wear most of my clothes, no need to waste so much💵💵💵

[@ck-4203]

Yep. Buy a few high quality things to wear. Patagonia.

[@Wulfnstein]

Or maybe, and this is just a wild idea, but hear me out. Stop buying clothes you don't need. You don't need to change your clothes every season, you don't need a new outfit for every celebration. When buying clothes, get stuff you can wear for years to come, not just for one time occasions. You'll automatically reduce the amount garbage if you don't need to throw it away a week later. But yeah, that's just crazy talk right.

[@mariamedina5008]

stijn louis not crazy at all :)

[@Claudi771]

Mari Fer AMERICAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR WEALTH WITH SELFISH WAYS. God WILL PUT A HALT TO THIS THING THOUGH 🤬

[@jaynesimmons6320]

It's not a crazy idea. It what Americans should be doing. I make other clothing out of old clothes it truely a science and I am aware that most people do not know how to sew. I have hope for people though. Your dollar is your power. You decide where to spend it. Fast fashion is garbage and people should start looking elsewhere.

[@bluegypsy71]

👍People know what they SHOULD be doing but since fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry a lot of them keep churning it out bc people love new trends and buy up what celebrities are selling...a fake sense of glamour and belonging🤦🏽‍♀️

[@cc83jc85]

I think the name: "TRUMP" or "KARDASHIAN", etc is more likely to buy clothes 65 times a year! ;-)

[@ithacacomments4811]

I rarely buy clothing. I live in a senior housing apt complex. We have a give-away rack where people leave unwanted clothing items. Being able to pick up clothing here saves me so many $$$$$.

[@AliceRomo]

What a good idea!

[@deboraballes9044]

Soo cool!! We do that at our church for coats in the winter time, we dont have space for more but the coat rack helps many people

[@mrfuzztone]

People need to quit buying so many clothes. Need to get off the consumerism treadmill.

[@kaysiehesebeck]

@ h&m define “more sustainable materials”

[@juliensheets785]

“by 2030” is that really the best they can do

[@klaudiaklaudia7155]

They're just trying to greenwash us using phrases like this. Just look up how many hours and in what conditions does the workers make clothes

[@stellanavarro7220]

@@klaudiaklaudia7155 .

[@lauralunaazul]

H&M is a dirty bussiness. Dont believe everything they said.

[@charmieanne]

More sustainable income for the. 😂

[@graced4844]

the most annoying thing is how hard it is to find basic garments. finding a white t shirt that isn’t see-through is a quest.

[@amvien]

You should get a white T-shirt from uniqlo! I have one that is high quality and not see through at all

[@mommyingBetchay]

Grace D exactly.

[@trinity6401]

That’s why I shop in the men’s T-shirt section

[@thelovelymadamme7256]

@@trinity6401 that's a great tip! 👍

[@JazzyCrumbles]

Fruit of the loom men's unisex t-shirt, about 5 dollars, lasted me 4 years until my cat decided it would be its next scratching post.

[@lionessprowess3581]

Low self-esteem, human need to fit in, retail therapy, heavy emphasis on image creates: over abundance, anxiety, stress, pollution. 👍🏼 Very relatable to those living in developed nations.

[@jugzster]

It’s staggering how many clothes people buy. In the past year I bought only a pair of shorts and shoes. Fascinating info, also love the production quality of your videos. Keep it up!

[@ZeppinnEU]

H&M having small recycling bins in their store, meanwhile burning 12 tons of unsold jeans a year. Nice

[@sct4040]

Hypocritical company.

[@sparklebutt1119]

Where did you find out about that??

[@heyheywoahwoahhey]

Wait whaat?

[@battra92]

When jeans were 100% cotton the scraps and used pairs were highly desirable for paper making. Now that they have spandex in them, they are worthless.

[@npeace312]

This is great! My dad always used old clothes as rags for cleaning. I do it as well. Anything not torn or stained gets given to others for free. I especially donate to groups sending clothing to disaster areas. My husband put some cash and a quick note in a tiny inside pocket of a suit and sent it with a church group taking clothing and household items for people after Katrina. I hope whoever found it needed it.

[@evelyndaly29]

Super awesome video!! Here in Vermont, many towns have clothing swaps in the fall then a huge clothing swap at Norwich University on the first weekend of hunting season. Your drop off the clothes, shoes, sheets, comforters, quilts, coats and boots you want to donate the Thursday and Friday before. On Saturday and Sunday the venue is chucker block full of tables piled high with clothes. 100's of people around the tables digging through, trying stuff on, helping each other find the perfect sweater for that skirt. One year I walked out with two garbage bags full of an entire wardrobe for the year, all for free. This year I am getting rid of three bags and limiting myself to taking home one. Great way to find wool sweaters for felting projects too.

[@coltoncardinal313]

That's INSANE! I had no clue people just threw their clothes away, and 80lbs a year is crazy. I didn't even know it was a norm to use this many clothes. What I've always done is only buy clothes that I need or really want and give my old clothes to Goodwill or other people, which I rarely have to do since I don't get rid of clothes often.

[@cb9825]

I don't trust HM promises to recycle old clothes, many articles claim that big part of the textile ends up in trash. so I recycle my clothes myself (the ones with stains or rips, that can't be given to someone else). if the fabric is still in a good condition, I cut out stains and sew something from the remaining clean areas. like a skirt for my kid from my old dress. also I make ruffles to elongate a skirt or a dress that became too short for my fast growing girl (SAVING MONEY ON NEW CLOTHES). it looks good even if the pattern doesn't match, sometimes even contrasting colors can be paired. fabrics in really bad condition become rags.

[@mommyingBetchay]

Ch B you’re great!

[@cb9825]

@@mommyingBetchay more like frugal LOL😆

[@jennahope4353]

🤦‍♀️ i was that girl .... i have tons of boxes with 100$ jeans, items with tags, shoes worn once 😫 happy to say ive gone a yr without purchasing. this video came right on time... 13 boxes and 3 trash bags of gently worn clothes to donate and sell.

[@cc83jc85]

I live in Australia- and volunteer at an Op shop (our word for Thrift store)....we can only donate items, never ever do we get ANY money for any clothes.......this is the first time Ive seen this! I'm also a sewer- and find that clothing I sew myself I keep for much longer- I love the colours and style!

[@lacyhay9022]

This video inspired my oldest daughter to do an upcycling project in homeschooling. Jeans with holes or shorts that are too short she has me make into skirts and denim that is not useful we can make purses, pillows, and patchwork. Old clothes turned into rags dresses and linings for purses. She's got one sister involved she's hoping to get her other sister involved.

[@lacyhay9022]

Thanks to covid her project was put on a hold. We just started back on her up cycling project this month. Hopefully we can make progress.

[@clairewyndham1971]

I have not bought a new pair of jeans in 17 years. And I firmly believe in recycle, reuse and renew.

[@cc.s3850]

The last 5 years i have bought 2 jeans, 3 tops, 2 swimwear and some undergarments. I have worked as a garment technician in QC/ QA all my life. When I look at garments it is just revolting! Bad fit, sloppy workmanship and cheap fabrics which is out of shape after the first washing! Never buy items with dry cleaning only. It is expensive unhealthy and environmentally not acceptable! So I make my own clothing or upgrade my old ones. Buy a sewing machine and lear how to sew. There are a million of KZbin videos to learn from and it is fun!

[@colleenlouise4521]

in my area we do clothing swops, people bring their old clothes to the swop, the next day everyone goes to pick up, donating a dollar for each bag to the place providing the space for the swop. I have been enjoying this for 20 years . the clothes are fantastic 500-1000 people go to this event every year.

[@Nicholas-f5]

Boycott fast fashion and go thrifting!

[@priscillajimenez27]

I've been busting out some tags. Got only $20 in my pocket!

[@karimartin9441]

...and save money that you can invest!

[@lynnkraus6715]

Learn to make your own clothes

[@halimakimathi4189]

🤔I hope thrifting doesn't become costly when it becomes mainstream💔 . 😩I enjoy paying 💰$1.50 for name brand shirts, $3 for nice tights and $7 for pairs or jeans.😋 I love being a minimalist, but big businesses ruin it trying to get rich quick. minimize user consumption including money and wasteful behavior👌☆.

[@skrittle555]

@@halimakimathi4189 Dude you were psychic. Thrifting is expensive af now.

[@breezybre123]

i quit fast fashion in April! Who else quit fast fashion? 🤗🙋🏽‍♀️

[@marieantoinette4587]

👋 same here!!🌞💖

[@omnilux8971]

I think this is fantastic and should be EVERYWHERE! I’m not a fan of the fashion industry because it’s always about buying new. We need this type of fashion to be the new mainstream. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

[@arlh2309]

I needed a dress for a wedding...I found one at a thrift store for $9...it was brand new with the original $100 price tag still on it. My mom is going to tailor it for me to fit perfectly. 😊

[@sandraweinhardt9203]

WAY TO GO!!!!!

[@debmacie1612]

This is exactly why I buy very few disposable items. Mostly I like to find natural fabrics in well made clothes with classic styling. I have many items over 10 years old and they still have many years of life left. I have chosen quality over quantity.

[@joelmiller2539]

i started learning about clothing donation and what it does to communities from the OR foundation, which is an NGO in Accra, Ghana. i had no idea before that! i've been trying to be crafty with my unwanted clothing instead of donating it. we really do have a huge part in helping other places in the world stay clean!

[@ksvineyard2665]

We only shop at thrift stores unless we have to get something from Walmart. Like pajamas or under garments. As for my clothes I have only about 15 total clothes, but with that I can make a lot of really cute outfits, one of my shirts has holes I use it as an under garment with a long sleeve shirt

[@mariechance5655]

It took me a few weeks, but I found a way to give directly to Veterans, not a thrift store that sells at profit and then donates some money to Vets. Take the time to find Pastors or others that deal directly with Vets, homeless Vets, or Veterans Hospital associations in your area. Helping Veterans is the best feeling. So happy I could donate 27 large black plastic bags of my son's gently worn clothes, some with tags still on.

[@perempuanbukanobjek4005]

Thank you for making this video! I hope more people watch it and be aware of this issue. Btw, most of my garment are secondhand from my older generation in family. Sometimes people mistook my age, but its okay, I can do clothes modify.

[@_dave4460]

once a year i bundle up old things, making sure they’re laundered, and take them to the salvation army or goodwill thrift stores. usually before the holidays. it helps others and keeps them out of landfills for a few more years...

[@rebeccaoprea9917]

Honestly in my process of downsizing and minimizing, I’m being challenged to wear more of my clothes considering we tend to reach for the same ones over and over again or just buy new . My mind has been opened. I’m not shopping as much either and that feels great .

[@nicolewilliams3127]

Awesome idea!

[@ruthy23thewayiam]

I work at a County Mental Hospital mainly catering to mentally ill homeless people. They get sweats and shoes while confined but the hospital accepts clothes for the patients for them to wear in boarding care or when they get discharged. Goodwill also sells everything - either at the store or those stained/damaged clothing are sold in bulk for resale/recycling. Sorters of donated clothes are PWD, good way to train them how to count (for participants with learning disabilities) and they also learn quality check. :)

[@sandraweinhardt9203]

Please remember to greet your handicapped employee at Good Will. Some people act like they are invisible.

[@mimiDchi]

Just in time! I'm spring cleaning as we speak. Thank you for your help.

[@DiscipleSteven]

Very motivating to watch and informative. In 2019, I made a personal pledge to not buy any new clothing this year (for myself personally, babies just need clothes lol). This has included under garments, accessories such as belts, and shoes. So far, its September and I haven't bought one item. I have also learned some skills in sewing to repair a few items to help them last longer. I am considering to extending this to 2020 and see if I can go another whole year. I am thinking by then, I might need to hit some local thrift stores for a few things. If I do find that I can't get something that I need locally. I'll try to buy from a brand that used recycled materials in the making of what I buy.

[@daniellek6603]

👏👏👏👏👏 u my motivation 4 change

[@tabassummokbuladisha3968]

I also recycle my old outfits with a manual sewing machine.Its real fun, a good pass time and also money saving.

[@altapedroza3604]

Watching this video makes me happy to be a lifetime shopper of 2nd hand clothes. I've never gone with latest fashions. I've always worn what I like and feels comfortable. Of course I look at material, how the garment is finished, make sure there's no tares or stains and whether or not I really need it. One important thing I always look for; that it's washable and not dry clean. Good to go.

[@nightowl7482]

Wash them and then make it into a pillow for your pets/baby cause the pillow wud smell like u and can help keep them calm

[@malihagarden7062]

Donating and recycling are even more complicated in smaller cities. Actually the root problem is : over production of cheap clothes (and cheaper Textiles) leading to over consumption by most average income households. It is a vicious cycle. Can you imagine that only few decades ago people used to wear their clothes until they were worn out or ripped or torn? And now designers are artificially creating rips in jeans and holes in sweaters and selling them at extravagant price to vain shoppers in the name of fashion! Thank you for making an awareness video.

[@sekaihatsu]

Thank you for sharing about not just the issue but what solutions are out there.

[@peridotlyoness831]

I love thrifting! It’s exciting to find something cool at a great price. For plus-sized shoppers like myself, however, choices are very limited because plus-sized clothes use mostly cheap fabrics. What I’ve started doing is limiting myself to replace what gets broken or doesn’t fit anymore,i.e. one shirt in, one shirt out. I’ve saved a whole lot of money that way. Also, I have to dress professionally daily, so I’ve developed a rotation of clothes, my own personal uniform. Men do it, right? Why not us gals? Finally, I buy classic pieces that won’t go out of style in a year…always look pulled together without spending a crazy amount of money.

[@anakamaruddin2975]

Solution. Have less. Buy from secondhand thrift shops. Clears the conscience but wont solve the worlds problem... I have 30 and trying so hard not to shop for more..:(

[@katespaulding4563]

thrift shops are so great and I don't feel bad if I buy a lot!! ppl think they are gross but not at all!

[@LittleRadicalThinker]

You need one BIG step to solve the problem. The problem itself is created by the fashion industry, for profit.

[@fashionrevelations]

H&M's perspective is so twisted: the person saying something about making consumers conscious of their own purchases while producing such absurd amounts of clothing is completely backwards. Shame on that company.

[@swastikasahoo5344]

That's true. Even rules should also impose on production of clothes every year and the material used. Rules also should impose on fashion industry not to tempt people for new trends. Rules also should impose on any advertisements, billboards, magazines alluring people to buy clothes every month.discipline and control is needed everywhere. The issue is from all developed countries who do over production of everything , more than they demand.and then export to developed or under developed when surplus for them..

[@deboraballes9044]

@@swastikasahoo5344 Good ideas but you are dealing with a business that is out to make a profit for their share holders....not going to happen...we as consumers have to make the change

[@sallylemon5835]

They gotta play nice, on behalf of their recycling bins

[@Anione111]

She is representing what is a reality in that part of the world. Many can relate to it, hence necessary for this video.

[@maijja123]

H&M recycling is just a marketing trick to buy new clothes (they give you a discount coupon when you return stuff). There have also been ex-employees telling that at many stores the clothes are just dumped in the trash, because it is too expensive to send them anywhere. Recycling isn't the answer, only way is to leave fast fashion in stores and not buy anything.

[@sylviabendavid2462]

Thanks!

[@Lord_Mad_Dog]

i feel like the only way h&m is going to be anywhere close to sustainable is by making their seasons longer and sticking to classics as opposed to trends. the fast fashion industry is ripe with human rights violations too so i probably still wont shop there

[@effytraveler6155]

I agree. I find H&M needs to drop the variation from the fashion shows because loads of stores from Old Navy to others do them. We need three seasons for clothes. We need Summer, Fall, and Winter. They could even resell previous year products or remake. Why do we need to get rid of last season's winter items?

[@ceciliabroodrykkriel8827]

Thanks

[@luviielee2880]

I don’t donate my clothes to thrifts to be resold . I donate for free to family in need . There’s a lady who has 4 girls . Her husband works while she cares for them they can’t afford to buy certain things or buy things alternatively like pay bills and rent and get 2 of the girls clothing shoes etc then later the other 2 girls . Now I know a lot of you will say well they shouldn’t have kids if they can’t afford it . Well true ; or maybe they where financially stable then who knows what happened either way I do not judge and the girls have no fault to their situation. So I donate my daughters clothes and shoes to them and they are so grateful 💜

[@avrilanne13]

The clothing recycler is such a big industry right now in the Philippines. Like we buy those bales and sell them here. Thrift shops and Online thrift shop. I also purchase a couple and made a profit out of it. It is good to know where those actually came from. This deserves more views. 👏👏👏

[@rwind656]

@Lab Villagomez, please tell us, what did you do with the parts of the bales you bought that were unsellable?

[@avrilanne13]

@@rwind656 nothing is unsellable. The whole bale is classified. From you can sell with higher mark up to those you can sell at a bargain. The only times nothing is unsellable is if no one considers to buy it.

[@christopherscottb]

I'll never forget a story in the book "Where White Men Fear to Tread" by the late, great Native American activist Russell Means (he was Lakota). He was dating a white girl and they visited an antique store. She saw some pieces of silverware and commented about how cute they were. Russell looked at them and was rather stunned and said, "My people are still using these." What he meant was that whites throw out perfectly good utensils just because they're out of fashion, which is both wasteful and means more metal has to be mined from the ground. His people used what they had for as long as it lasted, which in the case of silverware is essentially forever. That was his last date with her.

[@archaicarts]

I can honestly say that I have not bought new clothing in years, and even then it came from Thrift Stores. I believe in style NOT fashion. Style is eternal. Things I love, I repair when needed. Things I no longer care for, I re-invent. If I cannot repair it, and it is too threadbare, I utilize it in crafts, or as cleaning implements in my artwork, or in everyday cleaning. There are literally a million uses for old cloth. Along with many other things in our "disposable society", it should never be thrown away.

[@gummybear8951]

Donate to a local church and, buy what you are going to wear from a trift store. That would help.

[@DrewEmc2]

4:14 the 20% low grade fiber products, can those possibly be used for water filtration

[@bbygrlpt2]

I started recycling a few yrs ago.. and since last yr Ive almost completely stopped buyin new clothes. Unless I cant find it second hand then Ill buy a new one. But for the most part I just use evergthing I own which is alot! I was blinded by consumerism and wasnt even wearin all my clothes I just kept buyin more and more. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@SkyGypsy]

I once watched a docu on linktv about a young couple in Mexico who were saving to buy a piece of land. She did piece work, sewing bras for Victoria's Secret. I can't remember if she made the whole bra or just a section, but I think it was the whole thing. Anyway, she made $0.75 for each one she worked on. It's a huge markup on clothes & they still have sweatshops. I rarely buy new clothes, except underwear.

[@livemorewithless7817]

Thanks so much for sharing this with us it was very educational. It's nice to see that there is a group of people making an effort to help the environment

[@lesliev7874]

Eye opening video. When times were tight, people bought only what they needed, but the quality was good so they lasted. Today we buy what we "want", or at least what advertisers tell us what we should have. We shop because were bored and need that high and clothes are cheap, and fall apart too quickly.

[@tonywong8134]

Even the clothes that are sent to Africa, in which they have been filtered three times already, usually gets wasted anyways. The vast majority of clothes end up in landfills after they have been donated...even after selling recycling and reselling in Africa. I don't even buy clothes anymore and just stick with what I have.

[@mommyingBetchay]

Tony Wong more than half of the clothes that get sent in the developing world are not in good condition you won’t be happy wearing them because they look old.

[@tonywong8134]

@@mommyingBetchay that is not true. The vast majority of clothes that are sent from the salvation army and thrift shops are in great condition. I go to thrift shops routinely and some of the clothes just sit there until they get shipped to the third world country.

[@sallylemon5835]

But why aren't they giving aways to the local people if they can't sell it?

[@Yah207]

Your voice and speech are fascinating❤❤ You're so cute too🫠😍 The tone of ur voice is killing me🥹🥹 And not to forget this amazing video

[@CarlosLopez-hs1fe]

I really don't throw out my clothes it's usually handed down to my cousins and I haven't thrown out in like 2 years...

[@ahyafikri4746]

Usually me and my family throw out clothes once every 1.5 year

[@balancingscales1339]

I literally haven’t bought new clothes since 2016! Donating and thrifting is way more fun and fulfilling.

[@Ben-lopes]

Great job! You got some cool content keep up the work!

[@NicaEli]

I am from Nicaragua, and used clothes has made a huge difference in the availability of well made brands, for people that do not care much for fashion, but need inexpensive and durable clothing! I have seen nice jackets and sweaters in very remote areas, that are going to be used for many years.

[@nintendocookies]

Thank you so much for this video and series!!! I'm trying to be more sustainable as a costume designer and this is really helpful in terms of extra stock

[@kH-bv8ix]

I'm so grateful to learn about H&M recycle program. There's always those last bit of clothes unfit for donating. Thank you very much for this video.

[@foxypeppermint5175]

Poor people are the BEST at recycling! Think about it! 🤔😉

[@kH-bv8ix]

Our local consignment shops are very high quality and high end. Much of the items are with the tags still on them. I simply cannot find this quality in our high end mall. (Except one store in particular. But I can't spend $400 on a dress). I take everything to a seamstress to alter and I still save so much money. Yet I think I still have too much clothing. With every season change, I get rid of clothes. If one can buy new a pair of jeans that last 5 years, that's great. I believe it's what's available in your community that dictates our best options. I learned a lot from this video. Cheers!

[@99leadpencils]

Even 40 garments per year is a lot. That is my whole warm weather waredrobe. It's great that this videp talks about what to do with clothes after, but people reducing purchases would be the most eco friendly thing to do first!!

[@davevanfunk8917]

This video is a motivation to seek out what is in my area in terms of fiber recycling. Unfortunately, the countries in Africa that still buy our castoffs burn what they can't sell. That includes polyester and other synthetics.

[@dawnd.5290]

Giving clothes to shelters or community service centers is even better. That way the people that can't afford them can get them for free.

[@GardenForaged]

I love this channel. It has made me realize how much waste I produce on a daily basis. It has inspired me to look at ways I can reduce my waste.

[@jaridkeen123]

I must be a Super hero because i have not bought new clothes since i graduated from High High School in 2012. Im 25 now i maybe throw away a shirt a year... I need new clothes.... But i REALLY NEED HEALTH INSURANCE VOTE FOR FREE HEATHCARE! SAVE THE MILLENIALS!

[@TahtahmesDiary]

Well said! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@shananalexander9789]

I feel the same way. I have clothes that I cannot wear anymore. I give it to a church that has been so amazing to me. They give the clothes away after washing everything. I’m fixing to be in a wheelchair chair. I just don’t feel comfortable “yet”. I will help next year when I am more comfortable. This church is so loving. Think about this. I used to be in charge of a missionary. I was in charge of the food that was donated to our church. I give it to them every two weeks. Please understand that any food or clothing is cherished by the people who need them. God Bless and stay safe 💖💖💖

[@Voyager32bit]

move to EU man ahaha

[@amywalker7515]

I thought you were going to say you were 75. Now that would be something. I have clothes that are more than 20 years old in my closet. Mostly stuff to wear on fancy occasions that never seem to occur.

[@melaniekeeling7462]

@@amywalker7515 Party clothes do last longer.

[@JV-zl5ts]

Hi just came across your video, very informative. I live in Texas. I have a friend who lives across the border in Mexico. I give her clothes not only for her family but also for her to distribute to her friends and neighbors. The poverty over there is unimaginable; cardboard houses, dirt floors.

[@katiie7]

Would be interesting if it could be incinerated and used for energy converted into what’s needed like electricity to power green houses in cold climates 👍🏻

[@tandiparent1906]

For people who are crafty, a lot of clothes/ material can be recycled into quilts too🙂

[@mariumshafqat3826]

Rule of life Before buying another dress I've to give my older one to needy and if my heart says no it's my favorite I can't then I'm not gonna buy new one.

[@sophywilson3930]

I keep all my old clothes for fabric:) crazy how long I haven’t had to buy fabric :) you can make so many things, rugs, blankets, wall tapestries, other clothes, patches and for fixing old clothes, animals beds, rags and other things :)

[@marykennedysherin3330]

It's really not hard to bag up nice clothes you no longer wear and drop in a Salvation Army box. And that organization does a lot of good to help people in need

[@janetschiffman31]

You can also make quilts out of your used clothing

[@DianeSturlinXX]

I haven't bought an article of clothing for several years.

[@zoeemiko8149]

I use old kids clothes to stuff decorative pillows & pretty much anything else that needs stuffing. Everyday clothes that have worn out or gotten stained I'll use the good bits of fabric to make my own upcycled new fashion pieces. On trend, in good shape expensive clothes - I resell those. I also save old clothes to use in craft & sewing projects. I was given a box of old denim jeans which I used to reupholster an overstuffed chair. My new favorite piece of furniture. All the seams from the jeans were cut off and rolled into disks & now are coasters & hot pads. The scraps of the denim jeans I used to make pennant banners & 2 wreaths. The pockets have been the most fun of all to play with. Thrift stores & their old clothes are the very best place for shopping for fabrics.

[@mindakahn9964]

My clothes go to Salvation Army. When I go in they think it’s Christmas. If I haven’t worn it in three years I won’t wear it. The old stained unsellables are sold to rag sellers or recycled fabric companies and they live on.

[@ithacacomments4811]

I just felted a worn out L.L. Bean wool sweater. I am making pot hot pads for my kitchen out of the felted fabric.

[@freedomforusa1658]

I've been buying from thrift store for over 15 years. I wonder how much I've saved?

[@greylegend1140]

These businesses are super helpful for the environment. 1.4 mill cars holy cow

[@J3an_j3an]

My clothes have holes before I get rid of them and then I used them as tea towels 😂😂 Clothes give me anxiety.

[@sct4040]

You can also donate to the Salvation Army, Sloan Kettering and other hospital Thrift stores. There is also Housing Works to help people with Aids. Also, you can send clothes to Thredup to sell or recycle.

[@15minoflame]

what about turning the used clothing back into fabric?

[@Cappuccino_Hottie]

Most fabrics have mixed materials like Cotton Polyster blends. Separating the materials from each other is expensive sadly making it more cost effective to throw out than to recycle.

[@itsvictoriae6987]

Every season change (winter to summer and summer to winter), I go through my clothes to see what I have worn the last 6 months. If I haven’t worn it at least once, I wash it and donate it. If something is ruined, I fix the clothing. If it cannot be fixed or donated (say a stain that cannot get out (therefore gets rejected or thrown out by the thrift store) I donate it to H&M so they can use some of it for their recycled clothing options.

[@drnsdevi]

Invest in expensive clothes that way u buy less n its stay same for yrs. Buy what u need not what u want

[@candydemon41]

Yeah I probably buy over 65 items of clothes a year. You tend to do that when you live in a state that is hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. I do buy from thrift stores about every 3 to 4 months. I do buy clothes quite a bit but only on sale with coupons. I try to donate as well. Things that I outgrow or that shrink.

[@saiy1675]

I am from India and i am a new subscriber😍 love your intention😘

[@mekdeszerfu1483]

it has been 6 years i didnt buy cloth unfortunate but your are living luxury its turning around for me soon

[@seeksustainablejapan]

This is awesome as usual! Thanks for covering this- like Greta Thunberg is on stop-shop and only buy used clothing & goods, this is the way we need to all think of shopping :)