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Those drop boxes you see at Sudbury’s public schools are more than just a convenient place to recycle your used clothing. Sudbury Weekly caught up with Bay State Textiles, the people behind the boxes, to learn about the program, how it impacts Sudbury, and how their work impacts the broader world.
For readers who may not know, what does Bay State Textiles do and how do you work with local communities like Sudbury?
Bay State Textiles is a family-owned, Massachusetts based company with over 30 years of industry experience that partners with schools and municipalities to keep textiles out of the waste stream, educate students, and raise money for schools and towns across the Commonwealth. All of our bins are emptied weekly. Our program is free of cost and provides a rebate for participating schools and municipalities every month. Our bins are convenient, with 24/7 access, and provide protection for your unwanted textiles to ensure they are recycled properly. In Sudbury, we have collection bins located in the parking lots of every public school that are typically emptied on Mondays.
Why is textile recycling so important, and what kinds of environmental benefits does it bring?
Every year, the average person in the US disposes of 81 pounds of textiles. Only 15% is being reclaimed or recycled, while the other 85% decomposes in landfills. Textile recycling is essential for reducing environmental impact and supporting a sustainable economy. It helps divert tons of waste from landfills, conserving valuable space and preventing the release of harmful greenhouse gases during decomposition. Textile recycling also supports the economy by creating job opportunities in recycling and resale industries all over the world. Secondhand clothing provides the opportunity for developing countries to have access to better quality clothing at a fraction of the cost.
What happens to the clothes, shoes, and household textiles once they’re collected from Sudbury’s bins?
After our drivers complete their daily route, all of the textiles collected from our bins are brought back to our warehouse. From there, the bags of textiles are baled and shipped out to a grading facility, where the textiles are sorted and graded based on condition. Items that are in good condition are reused/resold and items that are not in good condition are recycled. About 45% of textiles are able to be reused, around 30% are recycled into wiping rags, and about 20% fall into a category called Fiber Conversion, which means end-of-life textiles are broken down into their basic fiber components, not for new clothing, but for new materials such as insulation or carpet padding. The 5% that ends up as waste usually includes textiles that are considered contaminated by oil, mold, bodily fluids, etc.
How much material is typically kept out of landfills each year through your program in towns like ours?
Last year in Sudbury alone, almost 110,000 pounds of textiles were diverted from the waste stream through our program, however it could be even higher! As mentioned before, per federal government statistics, the average American discards 81 pounds of post consumer textiles per year. Based on Sudbury’s population of 18,926 residents, there are approximately 1.5 million pounds of textiles potentially being discarded each year.
Some residents might wonder—what condition do the items need to be in to be accepted?
After years of roundtables and conversations with industry stakeholders, it has been agreed that all stakeholders know what to do with the good, the bad, and the ugly. The rule of thumb for residents is do not grade your textiles. As long as the textiles are clean, dry and free of hazardous materials and substances, it can be placed in a bag and deposited into our collection bin.
Can you share any success stories or milestones from your partnership with Sudbury or other Massachusetts towns?
Bay State Textiles Inc is celebrating its 21st year anniversary this year! Over the last 20 plus years, we have diverted tens of millions of pounds of post-consumer textiles from the solid waste stream, providing jobs in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and several developing countries. This program has saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in tipping fees. Moreover, millions of dollars in rebates have been paid out to towns and schools over the last 20 years. Everyone is a winner! Including, most importantly, the environment.
Beyond recycling, how does Bay State Textiles give back to local schools and organizations?
The founder of Bay State Textiles Inc. was the first in Massachusetts to offer rebate dollars to municipalities and schools for unwanted textiles. Every month Bay State Textiles pays out tens of thousands of dollars to municipalities and schools. Schools are using these rebate dollars to help subsidize all types of important school activities.
What’s next for Bay State Textiles—are there new initiatives or programs on the horizon that Sudbury residents should know about?
Bay State Textiles Inc. will continue to educate and help the town of Sudbury promote the act of reclaiming textiles by educating its residents. We are always taking suggestions on how to improve our services.