A Redditor explains how they prevent their children's used clothing from going to waste, something so simple many people hadn't even thought about it.
The message was posted on the very popular community r/ZeroWaste, which has 1.1 million members.
"I've discovered that my daycare will GRATEFULLY accept this stuff," the mother proudly says.
The Redditor explains how their daycare-aged children often lose their socks and mittens and end up with singles, adding, "Also, their outdoor stuff gets too damaged to sell or donate but still has some life left."
Since children often get wet or forget their hats or boots, the daycare always stores extras in case this happens, which the Redditor claims they are happy to donate to the center.
Wasting clothing is another global environmental problem that many people are not aware is happening. In the U.S. alone, more than 80% of textile waste ends up in landfills or is incinerated, which releases harmful planet-warming pollutants into the atmosphere.
On a global scale, more than 100 million tons of textile waste is sent to landfills every year, per Earth.org, while in the United States, only 13% of all clothing and footwear gets recycled.
It's interesting to wonder what percentage of the waste comes from clothing in fine condition that was discarded by someone who prefers brand-new apparel.
Statistics show that in wealthy countries, people increasingly prefer brand-new clothing. According to a study by the United Nations, the number of times an article of clothing gets worn has declined by 36% in the past 15 years.
Surprisingly, a lot of the clothing we wear today contains plastic. In fact, the clothing industry accounts for one-fifth of all plastic waste thrown away each year across the globe, according to Bloomberg, and plastic waste brings a host of environmental problems.
Reusing or donating old clothes does a lot more for the planet than many people think.
Commenters had plenty to share.
"That's such a clever idea. The kids don't care if the socks are mismatched if it keeps their feet warm!" one Redditor wrote.
A person with firsthand experience on the subject added, "As a former summer camp Director, I'd say summer day camps might accept them too. Kids have bathroom accidents and need new clothes. I usually stock up at Goodwill but if someone asked to donate clothes, I would definitely accept."
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