Do you ever wonder what happens to the fabric scraps you send to the landfill? Or how long it takes for those scraps to break down to soil? Americans sent 12.8 million tons of textiles to landfills in 2013. The Council for Textile Recycling states that approximately 5% of waste currently in landfills is fabric waste.

According to Fashion Revolution, “In landfill, the decomposing clothes release methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and lycra can take hundreds of years to biodegrade.” Research done by Down2EarthMaterials shows that thread takes 3-4 months to breakdown; cotton takes 1-5 months; and nylon clothes take 30-40 years.

There are places you can take your leftovers that will recycle scraps as well as clothing unfit to donate to resell stores. These recycling locations accept all scraps except those that are wet or contaminated with hazardous material (paint thinner, harsh cleaning products, etc.). The scraps are sent or sold to S.M.A.R.T. (Secondary Materials and Recycling Textiles), a trade association whose independent member businesses work to recycle textiles. Subsequently they are cut into rags or processed into a soft fiber filling for furniture, home insulation, car sound proofing and more. Just 5% are sent to landfills due to moisture or contamination. Nearly all textiles are recyclable.

Where to Recycle

The following is a partial list of charities and businesses that take scraps and clothing in any condition:

• Goodwill Stores – check that your location accept scraps
• Salvation Army – check that your location accept scraps
• H&M clothing stores will take bags of textiles and give you a coupon to shop in their store
• Earth911 provides a search function to find recycling locations near you

This article pertains only to textile recycling, meaning those scraps that can’t be reused by charities or schools for art projects etc. Seamstresses unite! Let’s do our part to care for Mother Earth.

References:

• Huffington Post LIFE 9/28/2016 updated 4/12/2019 by Suzy Strutner
• Some statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency

~Original article by Barbara Ward, Salt Lake Chapter. Additions by ASG.

When traveling, I always like to stop in local quilt and fabric stores, as I am sure all ASG members do.  We like to see (and probably buy!) fabric that is not available in our local stores. And if you are a quilter, you may like participating in the Row-by-Row project each year, collecting block patterns from the stores you visit. But your travels to other cities in the U.S. can be even more rewarding if you include ASG in your travel plans.

Making Travel Plans

I was in Fort Collins, CO for four months last summer to oversee some remodeling work on a house that we will be moving to. My husband was not able to go with me because he is still working, so I was there by myself. My nearest friends and family were an hour’s drive away!  So how do you make new friends during an extended stay?  Well, ASG of course!

About a month before I left, I contacted the President of the Fort Collins chapter, Patti Page. I wasn’t sure of the response I might receive; after all, people are busy with work and family. But Patti was very welcoming and told me about their small group meetings and other activities that would be happening during the time I would be there.  Turns out, attending some meetings was just the beginning.

• One woman who hosts one of the small groups in her home invited me to another organization’s event which was a tour of a fashion museum on the campus of Colorado State University. There I saw two interesting exhibits—one was 1000+ vintage handkerchiefs while the other was a small exhibit exploring the use of orange in fashion over the decades. Although I have visited Fort Collins many times over the past 30 years, I never knew about this museum.
• From another member, I learned about two stores in Denver that are a must-visit. I never made it to Denver, but I now have places to visit when we move. From another member I learned about a small but very interesting modern quilt exhibit.
• From yet another member, I learned of a class that was being offered by the Greeley chapter and I was able to sign up for that class. I may have eventually learned of these things, but reaching out to the local ASG chapter greatly accelerated that process.

So next time you are planning a trip, include ASG in your plans. You can find fabric stores without anyone’s help, but you’ll get the inside scoop of other interesting sewing-related events going on if you reach out to members of the local chapter where you are visiting. It need not be an extended stay like mine to take advantage of the knowledge of the local sewing scene.

Your ASG membership is not just with one chapter; you are a member of a nation-wide organization and have a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of having a group of ready-made friends who share your interests.

Not a member of ASG? Join now!

~Leta Smith, member since 2015, Houston Chapter