Did you know? Textile waste is a massive problem in Toronto!

By Lisa McNair

Did you know that the average Toronto household throws away more than 30 lbs of clothing and other textiles each year?

Instead, let's consider: 

• Donating old blankets, sheets, towels, and covers to animal sanctuaries; they make nice, cozy beds!
• Getting creative: if you can sew, you can make dolls, doll clothes, baby blankets, or quilts out of old textiles. You could even make coats or capes for kids! Have you ever heard the song “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton? What an inspiration!
• Pull the yarn out of damaged or unused sweaters and, using those fabulous knitting/crocheting skills, make a brand new hat, scarf, and/or mitts for children in inner city schools.
• You can also donate your textiles (in any condition, as long as they're dry and not smelly!) to our REmarket event. The next event is currently scheduled for June 15 & 15, 2023. Usable textiles will be given to people in need, while unusable textiles will be responsibly recycled by The Salvation Army. 
• You can also visit Toronto.ca/reuseit for a list of organizations that accept donations.

Together, we can eliminate textile waste!