As of November 1st, 2022, textiles are banned from disposal in Massachusetts.

Bay State residents and businesses throw away nearly 230,000 tons of textiles every year. That’s a real waste, as about 95percentof this material can be reused or repurposed. Give textiles a second life by donating them for reuse and repurposing.

•Recycling mattresses and recovering textiles helps support in-state, non-profit organizations, and businesses and creates jobs here in Massachusetts. 

•  “Textiles” includes clothes, shoes, linens, towels, curtains, and cloth accessories. When in doubt, check the Recyclopedia.
• Textiles should never go in your household recycling bin. They also do not belong in the trash, unless they are wet, moldy, or contaminated.
• Textiles aren’t actually “recycled” in the way cans, bottles, and paper are. They must be separated and handled by organizations that know how to sort them for three types of use: resale as second-hand clothing; cutting into shop rags; and shredding into fiber for insulation, carpet padding, and soundproofing.  
•  Drop off textiles at designated collection bins or donate them to your favorite charity or thrift store. Donation bins accept the widest range of items; your local thrift store may be more restrictive in what they want. Some organizations will even pick up from your home. To donate your textiles directly to charitable organizations, check out their websites for-store drop-off opportunities or collection bin locations.