What Can I Do With...?
Turning your Unwanted Textiles into Good Stuff
Polyester
There's a vast array of polyester fabrics, and they're all made of plastic, which comes from petroleum. Polyester never really breaks down after it stops being useful. It appears that most of the recycled polyester clothing in stores is made from plastic bottles (PET). That sounds great, but it would be better to just make plastic bottles from plastic bottles because you can keep recycling it. If you turn plastic bottles into clothing, it's headed for a landfill when it's no longer wanted. I would love to see the day when all of our synthetic fabrics are recycled in a circular fashion so that no one needs to manufacture new polyester.
Natural Fibers
Beautiful natural fabrics come from plant and animal sources. Some of our favorites are cotton, linen, wool, silk, leather, bamboo, and hemp. If they are 100% natural, they should be biodegradable. However, most of the things we now buy have some sort of synthetic material (like spandex) or chemical treatment (like dyes and finishes) added. I've learned that textile companies can't really recycle mixed materials on a large scale. Not only is it cost prohibitive, but also the technology just isn't there yet.
Notions:
Ribbon, Cord, Yarn, String, Thread, Trim, Wire
Most of us have all kinds of stringy things lying around, even those who don't sew. Extra shoelaces, elastics, twine, gift wrap packaging, velcro ties, old dog leashes...the list can go on forever. Although clothes make up the majority of textile waste, the little bits and bobs can add up quickly, both in the landfill and in our daily clutter.
Found Objects:
Notions, Craft Supplies, and Mixed Materials
What else do you have around the house? Buttons, hardware, beads, barrettes, abandoned projects, school supplies, tools, appliances? Some of our unwanted items are made with multiple materials. If they can't be fixed or reused in their current condition, then they need to be disassembled in order to be recycled. I am striving to learn as much as I can about creating items that can be reused more than once before they get thrown away. Multiple reuses may not be a permanent solution, and may still end up in landfill, but perhaps it can buy us some time to develop new ecologically conscious practices and solutions.
