What Happens to Our Clothes When We’re Done With Them?

Most of us don’t think twice about tossing an old shirt into the donation bin or trash. Out of sight, out of mind. But where do those clothes actually go?

The truth is, the fashion industry sends 92 million tons of textiles to landfills every year. That’s enough to fill one garbage truck every second. And what’s worse? Many of these clothes are made of synthetic materials that take hundreds of years to decompose—if they decompose at all.

Even donations aren’t always the solution we hope they are. Only about 10-20% of donated clothing is resold locally. The rest is often shipped overseas, dumped in landfills, or burned. It’s a global problem with local consequences.

At GreenStitch Collective, we’re taking a stand—one hoodie, tote, or jacket at a time. Instead of sending old clothes to die in a landfill, we repurpose them into something new. Something bold. Something that turns waste into wearable art.

Our mission is to show that fashion doesn’t have to be wasteful to be expressive. In fact, reusing and upcycling is what makes our pieces so original. Every patch, seam, and stitch carries history—and a future.

The next time you’re ready to part with a piece of clothing, think twice. Could it be donated to someone in need? Could it be repurposed? Could it be something more?

Together, we can rethink what fashion really means—and help keep our planet looking as fresh as our fits.