Tackling Textile Trash: How NYC is Fighting Back with Recycling and Reuse

New York City faces a significant textile waste problem, with fast fashion fueling this crisis. It’s time to turn towards solutions. The good news? NYC isn’t standing still. A multifaceted approach involving city-led initiatives, community champions, and innovative businesses is actively working to divert clothing and textiles from landfills, aiming to transform that waste mountain into a resource molehill. This post explores how New York City is fighting back through recycling and reuse, while also acknowledging the challenges that remain.

City-Led Initiatives: DSNY’s Battle Plan for Textiles

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is at the forefront of municipal efforts to manage and reduce textile waste. Several key programs form their battle plan:

• refashionNYC: This flagship program, a partnership between DSNY and the non-profit organization Housing Works, provides a convenient clothing and textile donation bin service specifically for apartment buildings with 10 or more units. 1, 2 It currently serves an impressive 142,000 households across 880 buildings and has successfully diverted more than 5,000 tons of textiles from the waste stream. 1 The program is free for eligible buildings, and because Housing Works is a non-profit, proceeds from the collected textiles support their mission to combat homelessness and AIDS. 1, 2 Eligibility criteria and enrollment details are available on the DSNY website. 2

• DSNY Drop-Off Sites: To cater to residents not living in large apartment buildings or those who prefer direct drop-off, DSNY hosts five dedicated textile drop-off sites located across the boroughs: in the Bronx (Eastchester), Brooklyn (Gravesend), Manhattan (East Harlem), Queens (Jamaica), and Staten Island (Freshkills Park). 2 These sites accept a range of clean, dry, and bagged textiles, including clothing, shoes, accessories, and household linens. It’s important for donors to note that items dropped off at these DSNY-hosted locations are not tax-deductible. 2

• Curbside Collection Pilots: DSNY has also explored other collection methods, such as the Fall 2015 Curbside Textile Collection Pilot. This four-week program, run in partnership with Goodwill Industries, collected approximately 150 tons of textiles. 1 Of this, an encouraging 63% was diverted for local reuse, and another 24% was sold as salvage for recycling into items like rags or fiber. The pilot also generated revenue for Goodwill’s social programs. 1 While overall household participation was relatively low at 3.5%, the program was considered popular by participants. Key takeaways from the pilot included the importance of logistical planning, the capacity of non-profit partners, and the impact of weather on collection efforts. 1

• Business Requirements: Recognizing that residential waste is only part of the equation, NYC law mandates that businesses whose waste stream consists of more than 10% textiles in any given month must separate and recycle or repurpose this material. 2 This regulation targets a “very significant amount of the total textile waste produced city-wide” 2, placing a degree of responsibility on commercial entities.

These municipal efforts demonstrate a clear commitment from NYC to address textile waste. However, the scale of the problem presents ongoing challenges. While refashionNYC has diverted thousands of tons, this is still a fraction of the over 200,000 tons discarded annually in the city. 1 The 2015 curbside pilot, despite its successes in material recovery, highlighted potential barriers to participation, whether due to awareness or convenience. DSNY itself acknowledges that refashionNYC is “relatively small” and is actively studying further textile diversion options as part of its comprehensive solid waste management plan due in 2026. 1 This suggests a recognition that while current programs are vital, there’s a pressing need for expanded reach, enhanced public engagement, and possibly a more diversified portfolio of collection strategies to make a deeper impact. The success of these programs also hinges on the operational capacity of partners like Housing Works and Goodwill. 1

Community Champions: Grassroots Recycling and Reuse in NYC

Beyond official city programs, a vibrant ecosystem of non-profit organizations and community-based initiatives plays a crucial role in tackling textile waste. These grassroots efforts often provide specialized services and foster deep community engagement:

• GrowNYC Greenmarkets: Leveraging the popularity of local farmers’ markets, GrowNYC offers textile drop-off points at eight select Greenmarket locations, including Union Square and Grand Army Plaza. 3 Through this initiative, New Yorkers have recycled over 950,000 pounds of unwanted clothing and textiles. The collected materials are sorted into various grades and then sold for reuse as clothing or to recycling markets that transform them into products like wiping rags or insulation. 3

• Fabscrap: This innovative organization specifically targets pre-consumer and post-industrial textile waste from fashion designers, brands, and other commercial sources—a niche often overlooked by residential programs. 4 Since its inception in 2016, Fabscrap has diverted over 1.3 million pounds of fabric from landfills. They meticulously sort materials for reuse, resale to students and artists, or shredding to create fiber for new products like insulation. Fabscrap also offers valuable volunteer opportunities, allowing New Yorkers to get hands-on experience with textile recycling. 4

• Sustainable Fashion Community Center (SFCC): An inspiring initiative by the New York City Fair Trade Coalition, the SFCC in East Harlem created a tangible space for sustainable fashion practices. 5 It operated a popular clothing swap system where items could be exchanged for just $1 each, making sustainable fashion accessible. The center also hosted workshops on textile repair and upcycling and partnered with organizations like Helpsy, Fabscrap, and Eileen Fisher to ensure responsible recycling of unswapped items. 5 Over its run, the SFCC engaged over 300 volunteers and collected more than 25,000 units of textiles. 5 This model not only diverted waste but also provided significant social benefits, such as offering affordable clothing to those in need, including homeless individuals and job seekers. 5 However, the SFCC’s story also highlights the precariousness of such vital community hubs, as it faced challenges with funding and securing a permanent space. 5

• Traditional Donation Outlets: Longstanding organizations like The Salvation Army and numerous local thrift stores continue to be important avenues for clothing reuse, providing accessible drop-off points throughout the city. 1, 3

These community-driven initiatives are indispensable. They often fill gaps left by larger municipal programs, offering tailored solutions and fostering a sense of local ownership over sustainability efforts. The social benefits they provide—education, volunteer engagement, affordable resources—are immense. Yet, as the experience of the SFCC demonstrates, these grassroots efforts can be vulnerable due to reliance on donations, grants, and temporary arrangements. 5 For NYC to build a truly resilient and equitable textile waste management system, it’s crucial to recognize, support, and integrate these valuable community assets into its broader strategy. They are more than just disposal points; they are centers for education, community building, and social innovation.

Below is a resource guide to help New Yorkers navigate some of these options:

NYC Textile Recycling & Reuse Resource Guide

Program/Initiative Name	Managed By	What They Accept (General)	How NYC Residents Can Access/Participate	Key Benefit/Focus
refashionNYC	DSNY & Housing Works	Clothing, shoes, accessories, household textiles	Building enrollment (10+ units), visit nyc.gov/refashion 1, 2	Convenient for apartment dwellers; supports Housing Works’ mission
DSNY Textile Drop-Off Sites	DSNY	Clean clothing, coats, shoes, hats, bags, linens, fabric	Visit DSNY website for 5 borough locations and hours 2	Accessible public drop-off points; items NOT tax-deductible
GrowNYC Greenmarket Collections	GrowNYC	Clothing, linens, paired shoes, bags	Drop off at select Greenmarket locations (see GrowNYC website) 3	Convenient at farmers’ markets; supports local recycling markets
Fabscrap	Fabscrap	Primarily pre-consumer/commercial textile waste, some post-consumer by appt.	Volunteer opportunities, fabric purchasing for creatives, business services (see Fabscrap website) 4	Focus on commercial/designer waste; promotes reuse and creative repurposing
Sustainable Fashion Community Center (SFCC) (Check current status)	NYC Fair Trade Coalition	Clothing for swaps, donations	Check NYCFTC.com for updates on activities/location 5	Affordable clothing swaps, education, community engagement
Local Thrift Stores/Charities	Various (e.g., Salvation Army)	Gently used clothing, household goods	Numerous locations citywide for drop-off or donation pick-up (check individual organizations) 1, 3	Supports charitable missions; provides affordable goods

The Limits of Traditional Recycling and Donation

While robust recycling and donation systems are essential, they are not a panacea for the textile waste crisis. Several inherent limitations and challenges persist:

• Contamination: Collected textiles can be contaminated by moisture, dirt, or other waste, rendering them unusable. The DSNY’s 2015 pilot program, for example, found that 13% of the material collected was contaminated. 1
• Quality Issues: The proliferation of low-quality fast fashion means many garments are not durable enough for successful resale or long-term reuse. 4 These items may quickly end up back in the waste stream even after donation.
• “Wish-cycling”: Well-intentioned individuals sometimes donate items that are torn, stained, or otherwise unwearable, believing they can be recycled. This practice, often termed “wish-cycling,” can burden sorting facilities and reduce the overall efficiency of recycling programs.
• The Global Secondhand Market: A significant portion of donated clothing, particularly from wealthier nations, is baled and shipped to international secondhand markets, largely in the Global South. 4 While this can provide affordable clothing in some contexts, it can also overwhelm local textile industries and lead to environmental problems if the volume of imported used clothing exceeds demand or if items are of poor quality. This practice has been criticized as “waste colonialism,” where the waste burden of developed countries is effectively exported. 4
• Complexity of Textile Recycling: True textile-to-textile recycling (turning old clothes back into new fibers for new clothes) is technologically complex and not yet widely available at scale. Many garments are made from blended fibers (e.g., cotton-polyester), which are particularly difficult to separate and recycle. 1, 3 Much of what is currently termed “textile recycling” is actually downcycling—transforming textiles into lower-value products like rags, insulation, or stuffing. 1, 3 While this is preferable to landfilling, it doesn’t close the loop in a truly circular fashion.

The current systems for textile recycling and donation are visibly strained by the sheer volume of discarded items and the increasing complexity of modern textile materials. While donating clothing to a reputable organization or using a DSNY drop-off point is certainly a better choice than sending it directly to a landfill, it’s important to recognize that this is often more of a diversionary tactic than a truly circular solution for a large segment of textile waste. This reality underscores the urgent need for more innovative approaches, advanced recycling technologies, and a fundamental shift in how we design, consume, and value clothing.

What’s Next? Moving Beyond Basic Recycling

The challenges inherent in traditional textile waste management highlight the need to look “beyond the bin.” Future discussions will explore more advanced and systemic solutions, including the principles of a circular economy, the exciting work of NYC’s sustainable fashion pioneers, and the potential of innovative models like brand buy-back programs to truly change the game for textile sustainability in our city.