17 Million Tons of Textiles a Year: Where Old Clothes End Up

Americans threw away about 17 million tons of textiles in 2018, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Of that, only 2.5 million tons were recycled, a rate of 14.7%. About 11.3 million tons went to landfill. By my arithmetic, that is roughly two thirds of all textile waste in the country.

Most of the clothes we throw out are never recycled, which makes the cheapest sustainable choice the one already hanging in the closet.

These are the EPA's most recent material-specific figures I could open, and they are from 2018, so treat them as a snapshot rather than today's total. Even so, the shape of the problem is clear. This article walks through the numbers, then gives you a practical way to shop and give away clothing so fewer pieces end up in that two-thirds.

The numbers, in one table

All figures below are for 2018, from the EPA's textiles page.

The EPA also reports a 13% recycling rate for clothing and footwear in particular. Sheets, pillowcases and similar items did a little better, at 15.8%.

For perspective, the EPA's national overview says the whole country generated 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2018. That works out to 4.9 pounds per person per day. Textiles are a small slice of the total, but a stubborn one: very little of the clothing stream comes back.

What this means in plain terms

The EPA figures are about waste after people are done with the clothes. They do not tell us how many items were still wearable when they were thrown out. But a simple point follows from the numbers: when only about one pound in seven is recycled, the main way a garment gets a second life is another person wearing it.

That is the idea behind buying secondhand, repairing and passing things on. None of it requires a lecture. It just means that a good coat bought once and worn for many winters keeps the textile out of that landfill column for longer.

How to buy used or returned clothing well

Used clothes are a bargain only when they are in good shape. Here is a quick check before you commit:

1. Check the seams. Pull gently at the underarms, the crotch and the waistband. Loose stitching is a repair job.
2. Hold it to the light. Thin patches show where fabric is wearing out.
3. Smell it. Smoke, mildew and heavy perfume can be hard to remove.
4. Test every zip and button. A broken zipper is the most common deal-breaker.
5. Read the care label. If it says dry clean only and you never go to a dry cleaner, that is a running cost.
6. Compare the size on the tag with a garment that fits you. Sizing varies by brand and age.
7. Know the return terms before you pay, especially for items you cannot try on first.

Around the DC, Maryland and Virginia area, you can often look at clothing in person before you buy. If you are browsing online, the categories page is the quickest way to see what is on offer, and the help page explains how pickup and returns work.

What to do with clothes you no longer want

The EPA data tells us that most unwanted textiles are not recycled. That makes the order of options simple:

• Repair first. A new button or hem costs very little.
• Pass it on to a friend, a donation point or a resale channel if it is clean and wearable.
• Send the truly worn-out pieces to a textile recycling drop-off if you have one near you. Check the local listing before you go, because rules vary.
• Last resort: the trash.

For electronics the story is similar. We wrote about it in 62 million tonnes of e-waste, where the same principle applies: use it longer, check it first, send it on when you are done.

The bottom line

The EPA counted 17 million tons of textile waste in 2018. Only 14.7% was recycled, and 11.3 million tons were landfilled. The best way to change that is the dull one: choose pieces that last, buy used when it makes sense, repair what you can and pass on what you cannot.

If you know someone who is cleaning out a closet this fall, send them this before the bags go out.