The Hidden Journey of Our Closet

Where Does Your Donated Clothing Really Go?

We've all done, from time to time, filled a bag with clothes we no longer wear, dropped it off at a donation bin, and walked away feeling good or at least for the moment. Then, we start to question, where do the clothes really go.

We started asking the same questions.

At the end of the day, where clothing ends up is more complex, than even realized. But before you feel too guilty about that donation bag sitting by your door, there's good news: a growing number of innovative companies are working to change the broken system and give our clothes a genuine second life.

The Realities of Clothing Waste

Let's start with the numbers, because they're staggering. The average American discards about 81 pounds of clothing and textiles every year. Nationally, this adds up to more than 17 million tons of textile waste annually, and that's just in the United States alone. To provide some perspective a pair of jeans can weigh 3-5 lbs, according to my mom. She always suggested pulling jeans if you checked luggage is overweight.

So back on topic, where does all this clothing go?

The Landfill

Despite our best intentions, the vast majority of discarded clothing ends up exactly where we hoped it wouldn't: the landfill. In fact, 66% of unwanted clothes and textiles in the U.S. are landfilled.

And here's the kicker: synthetic fabrics like polyester, which dominate fast fashion, can take up to 200 years to break down. As they slowly degrade, they release, well we know how this story goes.

The Donation Bin

Unfortunately, it's not the silver bullet we'd like it to be.

When you donate to major charities a small % ends up being resold locally or going directly to people in need. The rest? It gets passed through a complex chain of textile recyclers and resellers.

At Goodwill, for example, items that don't sell within a few weeks get moved to outlet stores where they're sold by the pound. What doesn't sell there goes to auction houses. And finally, what remains gets sent to textile recycling centers—or shipped overseas.

The Overseas Market

Here's where things get even more complicated. A significant portion of donated clothing that can't be sold in the U.S. gets bundled up and shipped to developing countries, having an impact on local textile industries.

The Incinerator

About 3.2 million tons of textiles are burned in incinerators each year, often for "energy recovery."

Keep reading, promise it is not all doom in gloom, there are some incredible companies beyond Gatheron realizing there are other solutions.

Why Is This Happening?

We now see over 50 "micro-seasons" of clothing per year instead of the traditional two (spring/summer and fall/winter). Brands make items designed to be worn just a few times before falling apart.

The result? We buy 60% more clothing than we did 15 years ago, but we wear each item 50% fewer times. When these low-quality garments reach donation centers, many lack the durability to be worn again.

The Companies Changing the Game

But here's where the story gets hopeful. While the traditional donation and recycling system is broken, a new generation of companies are stepping in with solutions that are working. These businesses are proving that we can keep clothing in circulation, if we're willing to think differently.

The RealReal Luxury Resale Done Right

ThredUp: Making Secondhand Shopping Mainstream

Helpsy: Rethinking Textile Collection

While resale platforms are great for quality clothing that can be worn again, what about items that are too worn or damaged? That's where Helpsy comes in.

Helpsy is a certified B Corporation that operates thousands of collection bins and partnerships across the northeastern United States. They accept clothing, shoes, linens, and accessories in any condition—clean, dry, and odorless—and work to find the highest and best use for every item.

Here's what makes Helpsy different: 95% of what they collect is salvageable. About 75% is reusable and gets resold through thrift stores, their online marketplace, or secondhand markets. The remaining 20% is recyclable and gets turned into industrial rags, insulation, or stuffing for furniture.

Ridwell: Beyond Just Clothing

While Ridwell started with hard-to-recycle items like batteries and plastic film, they've expanded to include textiles as one of their core categories—and their approach is worth noting because it represents a larger shift in how we think about waste.

What makes Ridwell special is their transparency. They work directly with vetted partners who transform materials into new products, and you can see exactly where your items go and what they become. For textiles, they partner with organizations like Goodwill and other local nonprofits to ensure items are reused or properly recycled.

Ridwell has kept more than 15 million pounds of materials out of landfills and grown to over 150,000 members across multiple cities. Their success shows that when recycling is convenient and transparent, people are willing to pay for it.

The clothing waste crisis is real, but it's not insurmountable. Companies like The RealReal, ThredUp, Helpsy, and Ridwell are proving that with the right systems in place, we can keep textiles in use and out of landfills.

The key is transparency, convenience, and creating genuine pathways for reuse and recycling. Whether you're selling a designer handbag, sending off a bag of everyday clothes, or recycling worn-out linens, these services make it easier than ever to do the right thing.

Remember: 95% of textiles that end up in landfills could be reused or recycled. That means the solution is already within reach—we just need to use it. Start with one small change today. Your closet—and the planet—will thank you.