Green Tree Textiles: Local Textiles Collection for Re-use

According to Green Tree, the average American discards approximately 68 pounds of textiles yearly, with 85% ending up in landfills. As discarded textiles decompose, they release methane and other harmful substances into the environment where they can degrade ecosystems and come into contact with humans, animals, and other living entities. The organization also notes that most communities in the U.S. do not have textile recycling programs. Green Tree aims to fill these service gaps by providing multiple drop-off/collection sites across New York and New Jersey, so that used and unwanted textiles may be redistributed to people, designers, and manufacturers for re-use.

Green Tree has built a network of GREEN Box drop-off sites at which unwanted clothing and textile items can be deposited. These items are then sorted at a warehouse in the Bronx, New York. Gently-used clothing is sent to Green Tree's local and overseas charity partners, while goods in poor condition are sold to fibers and rags manufacturers. The materials collected are kept out of the waste stream and are not shipped to overseas landfills. Additionally, Green Tree partners with Down to Earth farmers markets to make its recycling services more accessible to New Yorkers on weekends.

Currently, there are 23 GREEN Box locations across New York and New Jersey, as well as temporary services at select Down to Earth farmers markets, which can be found on the organization's website.