What to do with your sheets and old clothes?
First of all, it is important to remember that clothes and other fabric-based items should not be thrown in the bin. They can neither be sorted nor recycled in the traditional waste circuit. This type of waste has its own recycling solutions, which we will present to you right here.
Giving a second life to your old clothes, shoes and household linen: this has been the mission of Le Relais for 30 years. In France, there are no less than 22,502 collection points. (That's all!). The clothes and sheets that are dropped off are also sorted according to their condition. A large part of the textile is then resold in their Ding Fring second-hand shops, sold to companies (like us) or transformed into Métisse, a thermal insulator! This activity employs 2,200 people, most of whom are in vocational rehabilitation.
By depositing your clothes and sheets in the Le Relais terminals, they can be re-injected into a new life cycle depending on their condition. All this, in a spirit of solidarity! Who knows, maybe one of your sheets will become Boxer shorts2.0 (and that's a pretty cool second life)!
You will find just here all the terminals to find the one nearest you.
DONATE THEM TO AN ASSOCIATION
Many associations make appeals for donations to recover clothes that are still in good condition for people in need, such as the Red Cross. This is a great way to give them a new life alongside much-needed owners.
UPCYCLING AT HOMEA quick reminder for those who are late to the party, upcycling is the action of giving a new use to a waste product, material or object. This is exactly what we do at La Vie est Belt when we transform a bicycle tyre into a belt or a sheet into Boxer shorts. Why not you? Here are some ideas for textile upcycling.
Our grandparents already did this when we were children: cutting rags out of old T-shirts to clean the house or your windows... Nothing fancy, one or two scissors strokes and it's done. Your old clothes can also become beautiful, eco-friendly gift wrapping
How about upcycling 2.0? That's our goal in proposing our open source Boxer shortspattern (available for free here and in kit form with haberdashery here) to give a new life to your sheets. Made in collaboration with Canette, we have done everything to make it as simple as possible for all levels of sewing. By the way, Canette offers other kits on its website to upcycle shirts and jumpers for example.
REPAIR AND SPICE UP YOUR OLD CLOTHES
Fast fashion has made us forget the good old reflexes of our grandparents. You don't need a sewing certificate to sew on a button or mend a hole in a jumper. Think about it when you replace a garment because it is damaged. I'm sure there's a tutorial ready for you just a few clicks away (your granny couldn't say the same!). By the way, our friends at Atelier Unes have written a great article with 7 tips for repairing your clothes.
Finally, all it takes is one spark, one little thing, one gesture... to fall in love with the shirt you bought last winter all over again. Get creative and think of options to change the look of your clothes, with new buttons, a hem or embroidery for example. The possibilities are vast and it is possible to give a completely different style to a garment you no longer wear. For inspiration, we recommend Pinterest, which is full of great ideas for customising just about anything.
EMPTY YOUR CUPBOARDS BUT NOT TO FILL THEM BETTER
Remember that if you had to spend half a day emptying your wardrobes of unused textiles and carry several full bags to the collection point, it is not to relive that experience (albeit satisfying in the end) in a few months.
On average, we consume 60% more clothes than we did 15 years ago. Today, this represents about 9.5 kg of textiles and shoes per year, per inhabitant (Eco TLC 2019). Is this really necessary? We think it is important to have a more responsible way of consuming fashion. The big fast-fashion brands are experts at creating new fashions and demodifying the rest, they make and break the codes of clothing fashion, to the detriment of the planet. Sometimes it's just a matter of asking "why do I want these new trousers so badly?" or waiting a few days to buy or not to buy in good conscience.
To go further on this subject, here are some inspiring readings and sources:
- Refashion ,the eco-organisation in charge of the prevention and management of the end of life on the textile market
- The other side of fashion from ADEME, a complete report to decipher what is hidden behind your clothes and better consume fashion
- An article from our friends at WeDressFair on the techniques of Fast Fashion to make you fill your wardrobes when you don't really want to.