Why Doorstep Collections Matter More Than Ever
A Simple Collection From Your Doorstep Can Be Part of A Much Bigger Solution
Most of us have clothes at home that we no longer wear.
Perhaps the children have grown out of them, your wardrobe needs a clear-out, or you’ve simply got things sitting at the back of the cupboard that haven’t been worn for years.
But what happens when we decide it’s time for those clothes to go?
It’s tempting to put unwanted items in the bin, particularly when donating them feels like an extra job. But unwanted doesn’t necessarily mean worthless. Many of the textiles we no longer need could still be reused, donated or recycled.
And with the UK textile system under increasing pressure, what we do with our unwanted clothes matters.
The Problem with Putting Clothes in the Bin
When an unwanted T-shirt, jumper or pair of jeans goes into general waste, its useful life is usually over.
Yet someone else might be able to wear it. It could raise money for charity, or, if it’s no longer suitable for reuse, the material may still have another purpose through recycling.
WRAP estimates that around 1.45 million tonnes of used textiles are generated in the UK each year, with almost half ending up in residual waste.
That’s a huge amount of clothing and household textiles potentially being lost from the reuse and recycling system.
So, what can we do differently?
Making Donating Easier
Most people understand that donating unwanted clothes is a good idea. The challenge is making it convenient.
Without a collection
If donating means loading up the car, finding a charity shop and making a special trip, it’s easy to put it off. A bag of clothes can sit in the hallway for weeks.
With a doorstep collection
Instead of having to take your donations somewhere yourself, you can arrange for them to be collected from your home. Removing that extra step makes it easier to turn good intentions into action.
This is where doorstep collections can help.
49%
of used textiles end up in the bin, according to WRAP research into clothing donation and disposal behaviour.
WRAP’s research into clothing donation and disposal behaviour found that 49% of used textiles end up in the bin. Its research also highlights convenience and accessibility as important factors in how people dispose of unwanted clothing.
If we want more textiles to be reused and recycled, making collection simple is an important part of the solution.
Your Unwanted Clothes Could Still Have Value
When you’re clearing out your wardrobe, it’s worth remembering that unwanted doesn’t mean useless.
That jumper you’ve stopped wearing could be exactly what someone else needs. The children’s clothes they’ve grown out of could be useful to another family. A coat sitting at the back of your wardrobe could still have plenty of life left in it.
Even items that aren’t suitable for someone else to wear may still have value as textile material.
The aim is to keep products and materials in use for as long as possible. WRAP’s Textile Resource Hierarchy places reuse ahead of recycling, while recognising recycling as an important option when products can no longer be reused.
Put simply: if something can be worn again, it’s generally better for it to be worn again than to become waste.
Small Actions Can Make A Difference
There isn’t one single answer to the UK’s textile waste problem. We need better collection services, more opportunities for reuse and improved recycling.
But individual households can still play an important part.
It starts with a simple question:
What do we do when we’re finished with something?
Before putting unwanted clothes in the bin, consider whether someone else could use them.
Your quick clear-out checklist
Have a look through your wardrobe. Sort through the children’s clothes they’ve outgrown. Check for unwanted shoes, linen and other textiles around the home.
If they’re clean and still usable, consider donating them.
And if getting them to a charity shop or collection point isn’t convenient, a doorstep collection can make the process much easier.
One bag might not feel like much. But when thousands of households make the same choice, those small actions can add up.
Ready to Clear Out Your Wardrobe?
If you’ve got unwanted clothes, shoes or other textiles taking up space at home, you don’t necessarily need to make a special trip to donate them.
Anglo Doorstep Collections can collect your donations from your doorstep, making it simple to clear your home while supporting charity and giving unwanted items another chance to be useful.
It’s easy to put something in the bin.
But sometimes, the easiest choice can be a better one.