National Recycling Week: Turning Fashion into Circular Momentum

—from Eve, Founder of Project Emerald

Last week was National Recycling Week, and here at Project Emerald, we’re proud to champion one of the most powerful recycling strategies we have: reuse.

In Australia, over 6,000kg of textiles is sent to landfill every 10 minutes — at this rate, as a nation, we landfill over 315,000 tonnes of clothing a year — the weight of the entire Sydney Opera House… five times over. OMG!!

This staggering amount shows just how important it is to rethink the way we handle our clothes. Just like we’ve shifted our mindset with plastics, cardboard, and reusable drink bottles (honestly, when do we see plastic water bottles anymore?!), it’s time to expand our recycling mindset to include clothing.

Reuse it. Repair it. Or recycle it.
Anything is better than landfill.

What to Do with Clothes That Are Too Worn to Sell

Buying and selling secondhand on Project Emerald keeps clothing in circulation — not in the bin. And if you’ve accidentally bought lower-quality clothing that stained, stretched, or fell apart quicker than expected, there are great alternatives to throwing it out. Here are three practical recycling options in Australia:

1. Ecoactiv Textile Recycling
   Recycle-ready satchels and boxes for clothing, linen, socks, and more.
   👉 Ecoactiv Textile Recycling

2. UPPAREL Recycling Program
   Book a collection box (up to 10kg). Items are reused, upcycled, or recycled.
   👉 UPPAREL

3. Re-Place (Sydney)
   Drop-off points for damaged textiles with reuse + recycling programs.
   👉 Re-Place

You can also drop off textiles at H&M’s in-store garment-collecting bins in all states.
👉 H&M Garment-Collecting Bins (Store Finder)

Thank you for being part of the Project Emerald community and helping build a future where fashion stays in circulation.

Together we can make a difference!

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