People across Greater Manchester urged to #CottonOn
Old clothes have been hung up in a Stockport Shopping Centre to encourage people to recycle unwanted items
Last updated 14th Oct 2024
Clothes have been hung around a Stockport shopping centre, in a bid to encourage more people to recycle old garments and shoes.
Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) has put on the display at Merseyway shopping centre to highlight that even old, damaged items are still valuable. The immersive display of unwearable but recyclable clothes was put up to encourage residents to think about how they get rid of their clothes and shoes.
Each year thousands of tonnes of textiles are thrown away in Greater Manchester, with 16,700 tonnes put in general waste bins in 2023/24. On average, each person in the UK throws away 35 items of clothing in the general waste bin every year, from socks with holes in to ripped or baggy t-shirts.
However, damaged clothes and shoes can be recycled, with residents being encouraged to donate their unwanted clothes and shoes to textile banks across Greater Manchester as part of the #CottonOn campaign.
The installation at Merseyway shopping centre showed unwearable clothes covered with imperfections from stains to rips and key messages about recycling.
There are textile banks across Greater Manchester where people can donate their old clothes and shoes, at recycling centres, supermarket carparks and large clothing stores. You can find your nearest one here.
Donated clothing that can’t be re-worn is recycled into something new like animal bedding, carpet underlay and even car seats!
Cllr Tom Ross, GMCA’s lead for Waste and Recycling, said: “It is great to see this eye-opening display in busy hub of Stockport where residents can learn about an issue, they may not have been aware of. Throwing away clothes and shoes wastes valuable resources, especially considering the production of clothing and footwear requires significant amounts of energy, water, and raw materials.”
“This is another fantastic example of what Recycle for Greater Manchester does to highlight easy changes that people can make to recycle more and help improve our environment.”