Lately the fashion industry has come under fire for its damage to the environment. The use of fabrics such as polyester, nylon, rayon, flame retardant and no iron fabrics containing Teflon for clothing consumes a great deal of natural resources and produces toxic chemicals. So much toxic waste is created that the EPA has classified the clothing industry as a hazardous waste generator.



Efforts are underway to encourage people to recycle clothing in an effort to minimize the industries impact on the environment.

• Hand-me-downs: The oldest form of recycled clothing is to hand down clothing from child to child within a family. For the last child in the lineup, creative ideas to make the clothing fashionable must be used. Instilling a strong sense of protecting the environment is necessary to overcome the child's desire to have the latest fashions.

• Thrift stores and second hand shops: Many charitable groups and hospitals run thrift shops to raise money for their organizations. These are great places to buy used clothing. Learning the best days to shop can mean that you have high end clothing choices. It is not unusual to find high-end clothing items, often with the price tags still attached for pennies on the dollar. For many thrift store purchasers these finds can be the highlight of their day. Many women shop the thrift stores and after wearing the clothing for a few times donate them back to the store. This keeps their wardrobe fresh all the time.

• Consignment Shops: A consignment shop is a store, that for a fee, will sell your used clothing (and anything else for that matter) for a percentage of the selling prices. If you have high end clothing and hate the thoughts of just donating them to a charity, consignment shops will help you recoup some of the initial costs for the items.

• Drop off bins: Some charities place donation bins around the city. Used clothing can be placed in these bins for pick up. These bins are losing favor in many areas. Overflowing bins are unsightly and often garbage is put in the bin, making the clothing inside unusable. They are also a target for vandals.

• Antique stores: This can be an interesting place to shop for some unusual old clothing. Wearing an antique dress to an afternoon “tea” with the girls can make a real fashion statement. You will never make the ultimate faux pas of showing up with the same outfit that someone else is wearing.

• Grandma's old clothing: Some of grandma's old stuff can be used in the same way as the antique clothing. A bit of creative designing can make that old stuff new again.

• eBay: Have a favorite piece of clothing? Go to eBay and see if it is up for sale or auction. EBay even allows you to set up alerts. When your favorite item comes up for auction, you are notified. Clothing with logos from sports teams, television star, and music icons are always available on eBay. Some of this stuff is black market items from Asia so beware.

• Swap parties: Popular in Europe are swishing parties. Attendees' bring a quality item of clothing and items are swapped. Great way to have a get together and get rid of some old clothing. Have a swishing party for a teen's birthday for something unique.

• Reuse: Check your closets for old items that can be remodeled into something new. Make a grocery tote bag out of an old pair of jeans or a new purse.

• Tag sales/garage sales are a great place to buy used clothing. It's not uncommon to find designer clothing items, labels included, for as little as twenty five cents.

These are only a few of the ideas for recycling clothing. Getting over the mentality of having to have the latest fashion may take some doing, but the rewards to your pocketbook and the environment are great. Getting children to buy into this concept is difficult. Spend a Saturday with them going to garage sales and make a game of trying to buy an entire wardrobe for fewer than two dollars. Spend the money you saved to treat them to a movie.

Couple recycling with the use of detergents that extend the life of clothing, use of natural products for cleaning, purchasing more durable eco-friendly fabrics and you have a winning combination for your family budget and the environment.