Why Old Shoes Shouldn’t Go in the Bin
Old shoes shouldn’t go in the bin because anything in your household bin becomes general waste. Once there, a pair is lost for good, along with everything it took to make. Shoes are also hard to recycle, because they are made from many materials stuck and stitched together. A pair that still has wear left in it can be worn again, so donating it is the better choice. Our free doorstep shoe collection makes that easy.
Where binned shoes go
What happens to shoes you throw away
When you put a pair of trainers or boots in your household bin, they leave with everything else in it. They are not sorted out or saved. They go with the rest of your general waste to be buried in landfill or burned.
That happens to the pair whether it is falling apart or nearly new. A bin can’t tell the difference between worn-out slippers and a pair of boots someone could wear for years.
Made of many parts
Why shoes are hard to recycle
A t-shirt might be made from one or two fabrics. A shoe is very different. Even a simple pair can combine several materials, all glued, stitched or moulded together.
Lots of materials
Uppers of leather, fabric or plastic. Soles of rubber or foam. Linings, padding, laces, and metal eyelets or buckles. Each one needs to be handled in a different way to be recycled.
Stuck together for good
Shoes are built to stay in one piece, which is what you want when you’re wearing them. It also means the parts are very hard to pull apart once the shoes are finished with.
Slow to break down
Rubber, foam and plastic parts can last a very long time in landfill. Leather and natural fabrics rot slowly when they are buried without air.
All of this makes recycling a pair of shoes much harder than it sounds. The simplest way to keep them out of the bin is to make sure they get worn again.
Hidden cost
The waste you can’t see
The biggest loss isn’t the shoe itself. It is everything that went into making it: the materials, the water, the energy, the factory work and the transport. When a wearable pair is thrown away, all of that goes with it, and a new pair has to be made to replace it.
Our own estimate is that every kilo of footwear worn again instead of made new saves around 3 kg of CO2e and 2,500 litres of water. More on that is on how donating shoes helps the planet, and you can see what your own clear-out could save with our green calculator.
The answer
How donating stops it
Keep shoes on someone’s feet for as long as possible. Every pair that goes into a collection van instead of the bin is a pair that can be worn again, and one less to burn or bury.
Donate the pairs that can be worn again
Book a free doorstep shoe collection, put your shoes in bags or boxes, in pairs, and leave them out by 7am. You don’t need to be in. Most of what we collect is worn again.
Find another home for the pairs that can’t
Shoes with split soles, holes or broken heels can’t be worn again. Check what your local recycling centre or council accepts before you reach for the bin.
Bin nothing that could be reused
Not sure which pile a pair belongs in? Check what shoes can I donate?
After collection, we sort your shoes by hand at our warehouse and pass on what can be used again. You can follow the whole journey on what happens to my shoes?
You don’t need to judge whether a pair is good enough beyond the simple test of clean, wearable and in a pair. Slightly worn or out of style is fine. The sorting after collection sends each pair where it will do the most good, so the most helpful thing is to include every pair that still has wear left in it.
Outgrown, not worn out. Children’s feet grow so fast that their shoes, trainers and wellies are often outgrown long before they are worn out. Those pairs should never go in the bin. See donating children’s shoes.
More than less waste
Donating does good twice
A pair kept out of the bin helps the planet. It also helps people. Your shoes go on to someone who will wear them, and the money they raise supports the charity you choose when you book. A large percentage of the proceeds goes to your chosen cause.
Read more on who do my shoes help?
Every day
Small changes that add up
- Buy fewer, better shoes, and look after them so they last.
- Clean and dry them properly, especially boots and wellies after a muddy walk.
- Have heels and soles repaired before giving up on a good pair.
- Buy second-hand when you can.
- Pass on shoes you no longer wear while they’re still in good condition.
- Keep a bag by the door for pairs that no longer fit, ready for your next collection.
Related reading
More on donating shoes
- How do I donate my shoes? Booking, packing and the day itself
- What happens to my shoes? From your doorstep to our warehouse
- How does donating shoes help the planet?
- Green calculator: what your shoe clear-out could save
We can collect other things you’d like to give at the same time, from the same doorstep: see everything we collect. Got shoes ready to pass on? Find your area on charity collections near you, read how we work with councils on council partnerships, or find more answers on our frequently asked questions page.
Ready to donate your shoes?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.