Clothes Drive

IICD Massachusetts started a Clothes Collection in August of 2005. Why clothes recycling? In the past 25 years Americans have consumed more clothes than the year before. Clothes are more than a necessity, they are also a social expressionand part of forming and communicating identity and social status. Many like to express themselves through how they dress.

The increase in consumption can be attributed to for example the expandingchanges in fashion, the advance of popular media such as magazines and musicvideos, and a growing disposable income - also among younger age groups whomight be more susceptible to fashion influences.

Reasons for wanting and needing clothes still includes replacing that whichis worn and torn, but many times clothes in the US don't get worn out before the first owner either tires of them or outgrows them. Growing children need new clothes as well as adults moving up and down through the sizes because of weight gain or loss.

At the same time clothes consumption has increased and continues to increase exponentially, diversion of textiles for reuse and recycling has leveled off at approximately 15%.

Except for a few notable exceptions there is little attention paid to diversion of textiles on behalf of municipal and commercial recycling programs in the US today. This needs to be addressed in order to successfully maximize the utilization of textiles by extending their life through reuse.

We wittness that more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of reusing and recycling textiles, and they want to participate in a program that is good for the environment and which gives more people access to affordable clothing in the US and around the world.

IICD clothes recycling had its start in August 2005. A reliable and affordable container producer was found in Albany, NY. During the month of September the financing of the first boxes was settled and in October Abdu Metal Sheet Company started producing the clothes collection containers, while staff and participants at IICD were finding the sites for the boxes around the Albany area.

In November the first boxes were placed and people in Albany started donating very good clothing for the benefit of the 2 Development Instructortraining schools.

The clothes collection has a very big monetary importance for the running of IICD and we are very thankful for the immence clothes donations we keep on receiving!