Recycle clothes, bedding and textiles

Drop them off at Recycle It Saturday and Ultimo recycling pop-up.

When you need to do this

If you’re a City of Sydney resident and want to dispose of old and worn-out clothes, bedding or sewing off-cuts sustainably.

Recycle It Saturday – 22 November

Drop off old electronics, unwearable clothes, polystyrene, x-rays, small metal items, bicycles and more for recycling.

See us from 9am to 3pm at Alexandra Canal Depot. For City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra council residents only.

This November, we’re also accepting furniture in good condition to be rehomed through local charities, helping keep valuable items out of landfill.

Find out more.

7 circular images of recyclable clothes, bedding and textiles

What you need to do

Check if your items are unusable or unwearable

Only items in bad condition are accepted for recycling.

- Unusable and unwearable items only
- Clothes no longer wearable, worn-out, torn, with holes, stained or pilling including pants, tops, dresses, jumpers, jackets, coats, shorts, stockings, hats, ties, scarves, gloves and socks
- Shoes: shoelaces, sneakers, sandals, boots, thongs, high heels
- Bedding: blankets, duvets, doonas, quilts, sheets, pillows, fabric mattress protectors and sleeping bags (remove animal fur or hair)
- Towels and tea towels
- Soft toys (remove any batteries)
- Cushions and curtains (remove any hooks and eyelets or cut off the top section)
- Reusable shopping bags made from fabric
- Rolls of fabric and offcuts (remove all sewing pins and needles)
- Clothes in good condition, belts and handbags – please donate them to a local charity or book a doorstep recycling collection
- Bras, underwear, boxers and swimwear
- Backpacks and suitcases
- Plastic mattress protectors
- Carpets, rugs, curtains with hooks and eyelets, any textile items with electric components such as electric blankets

Clean your items

Give your items a wash before you recycle them. They should be dry and free of mould and chemicals.

Choose a recycling option convenient for you

City of Sydney residents can use these services free of charge.

If you live in our area, book a free doorstep recycling collection. We accept clothes, shoes, towels, sheets and blankets in bad condition. Pillows, curtains and quilts aren’t accepted but you can take them to Recycle It Saturday and the Ultimo recycling pop-up.

Fill 2 bags with accepted items and book a collection. A driver will come to your doorstep and take your items for recycling.
Book a collection

Consider reuse

We all move on from clothes and shoes but pieces in good condition deserve a second life. If your items are still in good condition, first try to find them a new home to keep them in circulation.

Join a free clothes swap event. City of Sydney residents can bring up to 5 quality items and exchange them for pre-loved finds from fellow swappers.
Donate to local charities.
Advertise on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Trading Post, eBay, Freecycle or Rosella Street. Learn how to sell your stuff online fast.

By swapping, selling or donating, you’re clearing space in your wardrobe and supporting more circular and sustainable fashion.

Find out more about how to give your pre-loved clothes a new life.

A young person sits on the floor using a laptop in front of several cardboard boxes in a sunlit apartment.

Get recycling help

Search and find out how to recycle packaging, polystyrene, clothes, cardboard boxes, frying pans, blister packs, batteries, electronics and other household items in Sydney.

What happens next

Your worn-out textiles are shredded and repurposed into versatile materials like felt.

Items dropped off at Recycle It Saturday or Ultimo recycling pop up are collected by Textile Recyclers Group. They’re sorted in Cranebrook, NSW and sent to India, where zips and buttons are removed for reuse and the fabric is mechanically shredded. Your old items are turned into recycled products including yarn, bags, socks, felts, underlay, insulation, furniture filler and rugs.

Your unwanted textiles picked up by the doorstep recycling service are shredded and reused as industrial rags.

A hand holds and unrolls a thick, grey recycled fibre felt mat with visible coloured specks. — Your worn-out textiles are shredded and repurposed into versatile materials like felt.
Donna Vicente / City of Sydney

Why it’s important to recycle textiles

The fashion industry is now the planet’s third largest polluter, releasing 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Australians throw away more than 6,000kg of textiles and clothing every 10 minutes – that’s enough to fill a 50m swimming pool twice.

By making smarter shopping choices including swapping, selling, donating or recycling the right way, you can give your clothes a second life and help Sydney keep them out of landfill.