Recycling Facts

  • Each American disposes of about 35 pounds of old clothing and other textiles each year, yet only 10 pounds per person are recycled. (IL Recycling Association Website)
  • The textile recycling industry, with some 2,000 companies, removes annually from the solid waste stream 2.5 billion pounds of post consumer textile product waste. (Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association)
  • Post-consumer textile product waste in the U.S. annually comprises about 4.5% of the residential waste stream, which transplants into approximately 35 pounds per person, totaling 8.75 billion pounds.  (http://www.niu.edu/recycling/facts/textile.shtml)
  • The textile recycling industry, with some 350 members around the world, remove annually form the waste stream 2.5 billion pounds of post-consumer textile product waste.  (http://www.niu.edu/recycling/facts/textile.shtml)
  • The 2.5 billion pounds of post consumer textile waste represents 10 pounds for every person in the U.S. Of this amount, approximately 500 million pounds are used by the collecting agency, with the balance sold to textile recyclers, including used clothing dealers and exporters, wiping rag graders, and fiber recycles.  (http://www.niu.edu/recycling/facts/textile.shtml)
  • Textile recycling firms purchase a large percentage of their raw material from charitable institutions, who in turn use these funds to house, feed, and train the less fortunate.  (http://www.niu.edu/recycling/facts/textile.shtml)
  • Textile industry members are able to recycle 93% of the waste they process- without producing any new hazardous waste or harmful by-products.  (http://www.niu.edu/recycling/facts/textile.shtml)