Clothes Recycling
Find your nearest Clothes Bank
How It Started
Islamic Relief started collecting clothes in the early 90's, then most of the donated clothing would be packed and shipped to the poor and needy around the world. Throughout the years this became an expensive exercise with the haulage/shipping and other costs rising significantly, it became a counterproductive exercise whereby the cost would be greater than the value of the goods.
In 1993 TIC International Ltd was set up to manage the clothes operation for Islamic Relief. Instead of sending the clothes as donations we started to sell the clothing as it came in. This proved to be a profitable operation. Over the years we developed this by sorting and grading the clothes ourselves bringing in more money. Now we have over fifty clothes banks around the country, employ over 50 people and have a fleet of large trucks and vans bringing in clothes from all over the country to our main sorting plant in Birmingham. However during emergencies TIC would undertake the logistical operation of sorting and shipping emergency aid such as tents, medicine, food and blankets to disaster stricken areas. All the profits generated from this operation are given back to Islamic Relief to help the poor and needy around the world.
Appeal
We always need your used clothing, shoes, bed linen and towelling. Please do not give anything other than these items. Please tie all items of clothing that are in pairs and pair all shoes, making sure they are clean and usable.
Please, please please do not leave bags of clothing and other items outside our shop as they cause obstruction on public foot path, cause health and safety issues, and may lead to Islamic Relief being prosecuted.
When using our textile banks please use smaller bags so that they may fit into the bank, again please do not leave bags outside the textile bank. We have had many problems with people searching through the bags, setting the bags on fire and causing general nuisance.
Thank you.
We urgently need new sites for our textile banks.
We are always on the look out for new sites for our textile banks, so if there is a mosque, community centre, supermarket or a school that could help us and the local community then please get in touch with us on 0121 326 0141. Please ask permission of the owner/occupier first.
Did you know?
• 90% of the clothes you put in textile banks are used in some way.
• As the world's poorer nations develop the demand for second hand clothes is increasing.
• Recycling makes sense as it helps the environment, creates jobs and helps the poorer nations.
• The average black bag holds between 6-8kg of clothes.
• From the clothes donated 40% can be worn again, 15% will be recycled and turned into new garments, 15% used for filling mattresses and other furniture, 20% used for wiper cloth, and only 10% cannot be used.
• 75% of the population in the developing countries rely on second-hand clothing and shoes.
• The textile recycling industry is over 200 years old and very well established.
• The average household discards of about 1ton of rubbish every year of which about 4% is clothes.
• If you put your clothes into a rubbish bin, they will be taken to a landfill where they will eventually form greenhouse gases that could harm the environment.
• Over 12 million people in the UK regularly buy items from a charity shop.
• In Africa cobblers take old tyres and make new soles and heels to fit our old shoes.
• Over 120,000 tons of clothes are recycled in the UK every year.
What happens to the clothes you donate…
1. Clothes being donated to Islamic Relief.
2. Our vehicles bringing back the clothes from clothing banks and other storage facilities.
3. The clothes been sorted at our Birmingham plant. From here, the clothes are sorted either for sale at the Islamic Relief charity shops or sold to other countries.
During emergencies like the Tsunami and the Kashmir earthquake we would sort and load items desperately need in the disaster stricken areas.
4. All sorted items are then baled under 40tonnes of pressure for maximum loading benefit.
5. The bales are then loaded and shipped.
6. The cargo of clothes is then sent to needy countries.