Challenges in Textile Recycling: What We Wish More People Knew

At Our Social Fabric, we’re passionate about keeping textiles out of the landfill and getting high-quality materials into the hands of people who can use them. Every week, we process hundreds of pounds of fabric, yarn, notions, and sewing tools donated by individuals, manufacturers, designers, and schools.

While we love this work, textile recycling isn’t simple. In fact, it’s one of the most complex waste streams to manage.

Today, we’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges we navigate every day - and what we wish more people understood about textile reuse.

 

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🧵 1. Logistics: Moving Mountains of Fabric

Textiles are bulky, heavy, and irregular. Unlike paper or plastic recycling, which can be baled and collected through municipal systems, textile reuse organizations like OSF handle donations by hand, one piece at a time.

Some of our logistical challenges include:

• Volume fluctuations - Some days we receive a few boxes; other days trucks arrive full of inventory. We never fully know what’s coming.
  
  

• Storage limitations - Fabric takes up space, especially when it arrives in large rolls, oversized bags, or full estate donations.
  
  

• Labour-intensive processing - Every item must be opened, unfolded, sorted, inspected, measured, and repackaged. There's no machine that can automate this step.

Despite these hurdles, our volunteers and staff work tirelessly to make sure every usable piece of fabric finds its next maker.

 

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🧵 2. Sorting: The Most Human Part of the Process

Sorting is where the magic - and the challenge - happens.

Unlike other recyclables, textiles aren’t uniform. A single donation might contain quilting cottons, wool coatings, silks and chiffons, acrylic yarns, upholstery fabrics, home décor offcuts, partially finished projects, vintage or damaged pieces as well as zippers, buttons, lace, interfacing, patterns, and more.

Every item has to be identified, categorized, and sometimes researched.

And we don’t just determine what it is - we also decide:

• Is it usable?
  
  

• Is it damaged or stained?
  
  

• Is it safe for sewing?
  
  

• Does someone realistically want this?
  
  

• Where should it go? (Retail store? Online shop? Scrap? Donation to another organization?)
  
  

This human-powered sorting process is slow but essential. It’s how we ensure quality and maintain shopper trust.

 

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🧵 3. Supply vs. Demand: Yes, There Can Be Too Much Fabric

One of the biggest misconceptions about textile reuse is that “someone can use everything.”

We wish this were true - but in reality, donations don’t always match what makers need.

We often have:

• Excess home décor fabrics when makers are mostly sewing garments

• More thread and zippers than the community can use

• Outdated patterns or old fabric blends not suitable for modern projects

• Large quantities of the same fabric.

• Damaged, pilled, or low-quality materials that aren’t safe or enjoyable to work with
  
  

Meanwhile, sometimes we go long periods without receiving enough of the things makers want most, like natural fibres, linen, quality knits, and garment-friendly solids.

Balancing supply and demand is a careful dance. When we get more fabric than we can process or sell, we divert it through our in-kind donation program or reach out to schools, artists, and community partners who can use it for their projects.

 

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🧵 4. What We Wish More People Knew About Textile Reuse

Not all fabric is reusable - but a lot more is than people think.

Small cuts, offcuts, half-finished projects, and unusual fibres can often be repurposed by quilters, crafters, teachers, or repair cafés.

Quality matters more than quantity.

We’d much rather receive a few metres of clean, high-quality fabric than huge bags of damaged or low-grade textiles.

Textile recycling isn’t free.

Processing, sorting, storing, and selling donated materials takes staff time, volunteer energy, and physical space. The funds we raise through sales help pay for this essential work - and help us keep usable fabric out of waste streams.

Buying from OSF is a form of environmental action.

Every metre purchased replaces the need for newly manufactured fabric - saving water, energy, and carbon emissions.

We don’t just resell fabric. We redistribute it to the community.

Through our in-kind donation program, school partnerships, and community initiatives, we ensure that materials get to the people who need them most.

 

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🌿 A Better Textile Future Starts With Awareness

Textile waste is a growing environmental issue, but organizations like ours prove that well-loved materials still have enormous value. By understanding the challenges behind the scenes, shoppers and donors can help keep the cycle going.

Whether you donate, shop, or spread the word, you’re supporting a small but mighty system that helps reduce waste and increase access to creativity.