DID YOU KNOW?  (source: U.S. EPA and Council for Textile Recycling)

• We generate 9 billion pounds of used clothing each year, with only a small fraction that is recycled;
• Textile waste represents up to 5% of our landfills;
• The textile recycling industry removes 2.5 billion pounds of post consumer textiles from the waste stream annually.  Approximately 500 million pounds are used by the collection companies, with the balance sold to textile recyclers, including clothing wholesalers and exporters, commercial wiping rag producers and fiber recyclers;
• Recycling of second hand clothing creates jobs in the local economy and supports our national economy, as used clothing is the eighth largest U.S. export;
• Textile recycling firms contribute to the revenue base of federal, state and local governments;
  
• Many textile recycling firms acquire their material from non-profit organizations that use these funds towards their charitable purposes.