Textile waste, which comes from the manufacture of clothes and their eventual disposal into landfills, is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world. Each year over 80 billion items of clothing are produced worldwide with over 26 billion items being sent to landfills or to be incinerated. 95% of which could be recycled or reused. Textile waste can take up to 200+ to decompose. Throughout the process of production and decomposition, textile waste causes many damaging effects on the environment, such as water stress, pollution, releasing greenhouse gases that are a significant contributor to global warming, dyes, chemicals and other components of clothing that leach into the soil, contaminating both surface and groundwater, and many more. 

These consequences could simply be reduced, by donating, recycling, or repurposing unwanted textiles like clothing. Donating is a great way to give back while protecting our environment from textile waste. There are many organizations that will accept used textiles, such as The Salvation Army, who will repurpose your used clothing, and items that are still saleable will be sold at affordable prices to raise funds for local Salvation Army programs and services for people in need and Items that are not sellable are recycled to avoid ending up in landfills. 

Sign this petition to help reduce textile waste and save our environment!