Wearable Collections Keeps Cloth Out of the Trash

One of the things I love about making linen sheets is that it doesn't create a lot of scrap fabric. When compared to clothing manufacturing, which is very wasteful, Linoto does pretty well. We use nearly all of the fabric.  Flat sheets and duvet covers use the entire width of fabric with virtually zero waste. The Linoto linen tote bag, for example, is made from scraps after the fitted sheets and pillowcases are cut. 

Linoto linen tote bag made from linen sheet scraps

Linoto donates the scraps that can't be used to Wearable Collections, an agency that collects and recycles clothing and textiles scraps. The scraps can be ground up and turned into short staple yarns for knitted items like socks and sweaters or even insulation. So far we have spared about 300 lbs. worth of linen scraps from going into a land fill.

Wearable Collections can set up collection bins near you and will even work within your building's restrictions to make it work. Usable clothing and rags are resold internationally while what is unusable is sent to facilities where they can be broken down and rewoven into new textiles. They can also help your charity organization by sponsoring clothing drives and will then pay you for for what is collected.

The average annual amount of textile waste in the United States is well over 193 tons. So far Wearable Collections has diverted over 2 million pounds of clothing and fabric from landfills.  They are currently located primarily in New York City, but will soon be expanding to Long Island and Central New Jersey. Imagine how much we can save if Wearable Collections goes nation-wide!

There are drop off centers at these locations:

Friday- W 97th St. between Columbus Ave. and Amsterdam Ave. from 8am-2pm
Saturday-Grand Army Plaza in Park Slope  8am-4pm and Union Sq. @ 14th St. and Broadway 8am- 6pm
Sunday-Tompkins Sq. park @ Ave. A and 9th St. 8am-4pm
Monday-Union Sq. @14th St. and Broadway  8am-6pm

You can also follow them on Facebook, Flickr and Twitter and help them change the way New York recycles clothes!