Every year, more clothing is produced than the planet can sustain. Garments enter our wardrobes quickly, leave just as fast and end up becoming waste that can take decades to break down.
At Ecoalf, we believe another way is possible, one that doesn’t depend on excess or constant disposal. Recycling clothes is a key part of that change.
Recycling, repairing, transforming or donating are everyday decisions that add up. Each one brings us closer to a more responsible, more conscious and more resource-aligned way of dressing.
What it means to recycle clothes and why it matters
Recycling clothes isn’t just about sorting waste or dropping garments into a textile bin. It means understanding that the value of a piece doesn’t end when you stop liking it or it no longer fits your wardrobe. It’s a way to care for your clothes and the planet.
The environmental impact of the textile industry
Fashion is among the industries that consume the most water and generate the most waste each year. When clothing ends up in landfills, its fibres can take between 30 and 200 years to decompose. Recycling clothes helps reduce this accumulation and slows down the extraction of new resources.
Reducing waste and emissions
Every time we recycle a garment, we avoid producing new materials. This means fewer emissions, less energy consumption and a reduced environmental impact.
A gesture that encourages a more conscious lifestyle
When you choose to repair a jacket or donate a t-shirt you no longer wear, you’re choosing a more responsible and circular fashion model.
Practical ways to recycle clothes at home
Recycling doesn’t always require machines or industrial processes. Often, it begins at home with simple, accessible decisions.
Repair to extend the lifespan
A missing button, a loose hem, a zip that doesn’t quite close… These minor repairs can restore a garment’s full value.
Repairing also means looking at clothing with a different pace, one that is slower, more mindful and more respectful.
Transform garments creatively (upcycling)
A shirt you no longer wear can become a reusable bag.
Old jeans can turn into shorts or an apron.
Upcycling extends the life of materials without needing to create anything new.
Donate, swap or resell
If you have garments in good condition that no longer suit your style, they can enjoy a second life. There are swapping platforms, second-hand markets, and social projects that collect clothing to pass it on to people who need it.
Where to recycle clothes properly
Not all clothing can be recycled in the same way. That is why it’s important to know where to take it and how to do it correctly.
Municipal textile bins
Municipal textile bins accept clean and dry clothing in good or poor condition. It’s the first step to ensure garments are sorted and follow the correct reuse or recycling process.
Recycling centres
If clothing is filthy, has paint or chemical residue, is damp or shows signs of mould, it cannot enter the usual textile recycling circuit. In these cases, recycling centres are the most appropriate option, as they handle these garments safely and prevent contamination of other recyclable materials.
How to “recycle” from the very beginning
Recycling clothes is only part of the change. The other part begins in the way we consume. For years, fashion has pushed us to buy without thinking, to renew our clothes too quickly and to normalise a pace the planet cannot sustain.
At ECOALF, we believe it’s time to question this rhythm and move towards a different model, one that values what already exists, prioritises quality over quantity and understands that every purchase has an impact.
Recycled fashion you can already wear
Textile recycling is not just a theory. It’s something you can already include in your daily life.
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A sustainable coat that keeps you warm on cold days.
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Sneakers made with recycled rubber.
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A recycled cotton sweatshirt, soft, comfortable and timeless.
These are stylish garments, yes, but they also carry a story. And when you wear them, you become part of it.
Recycling clothes to care for the planet
Recycling clothes is a simple way to care for the planet and to make better use of what already exists. Small gestures, repeated over time, bring us closer to a more responsible and more conscious way of dressing, aligned with the future we want to build.