Disposing of old bedding, suitcase etc

[PN33]

Hello,

Just had the horrible ordeal of sorting under the stairs and found several old duvets, sheets, pillows, suitcases etc. I know that charity shops will accept this stuff but a lot of it is quite scabby and I can't see them really wanting it. I was wondering if there was any way to recycle this sort of fabric-y stuff? Even if we don't recycle it, how would you even throw it away?

Thanks in advance!

[fl0wer]

Yes, good question to ask. I always use the recycling [blue] bins for thrown out fabrics and for the sake of the people who have jobs sifting this stuff it gets washed and dried first, even if it is ragbag.

Label it saying "cotton - clean but unusable clothing" or "Duvet - polyester - clean" or somesuch.

The reasons are

i) real cotton, real linen, and real wool can all be recycled. Paper manufacturers want this fabric. Also cabinet makers and painters demand lint-free rags.

Wool waste is made into carpet underlay.

ii) Africa receives shiploads of Europe's unwanted clothing and bedding, to be mended, restyled, and sold on. Many of the things rejected in UK charity shops get collected & sold [by weight] for this purpose.

iii) things like suitcases will be collected if you put them out on bin day labelled 'please take'. I believe much of it gets repaired and resold too.

[Broadbean]

Celia hammond animal trust in lewisham way are always in need of bedding for the cats there .

[DulwichFox]

You can take it to council dump.

The Southwark reuse and recycling centre (RRC) is located at 43 Devon Street

(off Old Kent Road), London SE15 1AL

The centre is free and open seven days a week:

1 April to 30 September, 8am to 8pm

1 October to 31 March, 8am to 6pm

Foxy

[The Minkey]

The charity shop down by Goose Green has a textile recycling bin outside. Good for the sheets and pillowcases I would have thought.

[dresswaves]

I 2nd Celia Hammond on Lewisham Way. They are always in need of clean bedding for their cats. If you can't get to them I'm there once a week so could deliver.

http://www.celiahammond.org/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=26&MMN_position=35:35

[kford]

Isn't there a clothes/cloth bank at Sainsbury's DKH?

[val]

Yes at back of car park.

[PN33]

Thanks for all your replies. In the end I disposed of everything in the big fabric-recycling bin outside Mind down by Goose Green; was the easiest solution without a car.

Many thanks

PN33

[fl0wer]

Informative article about how Oxfam turns the waste from those kinds of collection bin into fund-raisers.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/feb/15/what-happens-to-oxfam-donations-sorted