The fashion world is a major polluter. A study in 2016 revealed that the average American throws away a shocking 81 pounds of clothes each year. Worse still, these clothes can take centuries to break down in landfills, all the while releasing harmful greenhouse gases. But there’s a silver lining: 95% of the clothes we throw away could be reused or recycled.
To help with this, many clothing stores now offer programs to encourage customers to recycle their old clothes instead of sending them to landfills. Some stores donate your old clothes to charity, while others transform them into something new. In return, they offer you perks like discounts, loyalty points, and gift cards.
Here are some retailers that will give you rewards for recycling your clothes:
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The North Face: Their Clothes the Loop campaign is all about sustainable clothing production. They accept used clothes and shoes of any brand and condition, and work with charity Soles4Souls to distribute them to those in need. Drop off your used items at any North Face store in the U.S., Germany, or Canada, and you’ll get a $10 coupon for a purchase of $100 or more.
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Universal Standard: This brand is known for inclusive sizing and sustainable fashion. They partner with recycling company Marimole to turn your old clothes into new materials. Buy a recycling bag from them for $4.50, fill it with your old clothes, and mail it to Marimole. You’ll get a $25-off coupon code for each garment sent for recycling.
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H&M: Their recycling program accepts all clothing, any brand, any condition. Drop off your used clothes at your nearest H&M and receive a discount card for 15% off your next purchase. Note: the program is currently paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Carter’s: They’ve partnered with TerraCycle for the KidCycle clothing recycling program. Sign up on TerraCycle’s website, box all your undonatable kids clothes (except shoes and accessories), and ship everything to TerraCycle. You’ll get 75 points on your Carter’s Rewarding Moments loyalty account within 45 days.
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J.Jill: They run a biannual clothing drive to fund their charity, the Compassion Fund. Drop off clothes in-store in good condition and receive 10% off one full-price product for every garment you donate.
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Levi’s: They’ve partnered with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program to recycle any brand of jeans or denim jackets. Drop your old jeans at your local Levi’s store and receive a voucher for 20% off a single product.
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Madewell: They’ve also partnered with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program to repurpose denim. Bring any brand or style of jeans to your local Madewell store and get a coupon for $20 off a new pair of Madewell jeans.
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DSW Shoes: Donate your new or gently worn shoes at any DSW store. DSW VIP members receive 50 loyalty points for each donation.
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Soma: They’ve partnered with The Bra Recyclers to collect your new and gently used bras. Bring your bras to your local Soma store and receive 125 Love Soma Rewards points per bra donated.
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Patagonia: Their Worn Wear program lets you trade in gently worn Patagonia clothing. Trade-in values range from $10 to $100 payable as store credit.
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Gap: They’ve partnered with ThredUp to recycle your gently worn clothing. Fill a ThredUp kit bag and drop it off at any local FedEx or post office location. If ThredUp selects any of your garments for resale, you can opt to receive either cash or store credit.
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Reformation: They’ve partnered with ThredUp to keep clothes in circulation and out of landfills. You can request a Payout Kit or a Donation Kit to recycle your clothes.
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Eileen Fisher: Their Eileen Fisher Renew program accepts every piece of Eileen Fisher clothing for recycling. In exchange for bringing in your used clothes, every piece is eligible for a $5 reward credit.
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Planet Aid: They aim to keep as many textiles out of landfills as possible while helping individuals in impoverished nations. Put all your donations into a bag and drop it off at one of Planet Aid’s yellow drop-off bins. You could potentially get a financial benefit in the form of a tax deduction if you itemize your taxes.
Before you throw potential money in the trash, always check to see if the store where you’re planning to shop or the brand you’re planning to buy offers a recycling perk. If your clothes are in bad condition or there are no recycling programs available in your area, visit Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles to find nearby textile recycling outlets.
