Kyneton residents are leading the way in Australia’s first clothing sorting trial.
Residents have joined the first dual-stream clothing trail, Sort for Good, a project funded by the Seamless Circular Clothing Textiles Fund.
Every household has received in November two labelled bags and instructions to separate unwanted clothing into two categories: wearable and unwearable.
SCRgroup is helping deliver the project in the Macedon Ranges, and spokesperson Kristi High welcomed the project.
“This makes it easier for residents to help keep wearable clothing in circulation and ensures items that can’t be re-homed like underwear, socks, uniforms and items that are torn or damaged can go straight to a recycling option instead of ending up in landfill,” she said.
Local social enterprise Windarring helped deliver the bags to homes across Kyneton, and will collect them from household doorsteps or letterboxes before the end of the month.
“We are very proud to partner with Windarring on this project, and show how re-use and recycling of clothing also creates jobs while promoting a circular clothing economy by giving pre-loved garments a second life,” Ms High said.
Wearable collected clothing will be donated to local charities or redirected through SCRgroup’s global reuse network in developing countries.
Unwearable clothing will be recycled into new fibres, rags, insulation or other useful products instead of ending up in landfills.
The Sort for Good project is part of a national effort to develop a circular clothing economy in Australia, one where clothing stays in use for longer, and is recycled at the end of its life.
Residents will be invited to share feedback on the ease of sorting their clothing, helping researchers improve future systems and education.
