Downcycling Options for Un-donatable Items

Not everything can be donated, but that doesn’t mean it needs to end up in the landfill. If you have worn-out or gently used items that can’t be passed along, consider downcycling! These organizations turn old textiles and shoes into insulation, dog beds, playground surfaces, and more. Check out the resources below to keep your stuff out of the trash and give it a second life. 🌍✨

👖 Blue Jeans Go Green
🔗 BlueJeansGoGreen.org
Description: Downcycles jeans into insulating material for construction, food packaging, and pet bed applications. Provides free shipping labels, limit each box to 50Ibs.
What they accept: Used jeans that are at least 90% cotton.

👟 Soles 4 Souls
🔗soles4souls.org/
Description: Redistributes and recycles shoes by donating them to those in need or repurposing them into new products such as playground surfaces and running tracks. Provides free shipping labels, limit each box to 50Ibs.
What they accept: New or used shoes.

🧦 SmartWool Second Cut Project
🔗 Smartwool Second Cut
Description: Partners with Material Return to recycle socks into insulating materials and dog beds. Offers free bags to ship socks in, along with a shipping label.
What they accept: New or used socks.

💖 The Bra Recyclers
🔗 thebrarecyclers.com
Description: Accepts gently used bras and underwear that they donate to those in need or downcycles them into carpet padding, insulation, and punching bags for self-defense training.
What they accept: Washed, gently used bras and underwear.

🌟 Every small action adds up! Thank you for being part of the solution ♻️👣