2019 Recycling Industry Yearbook

ISRI.ORG 53 TEXTILES U.S. textile recyclers processes billions of pounds of cotton, wool, synthetic, and synthetic-blend products each year. The sources of these scrap materials range from apparel and home furnishing manufacturers to textile mills and consumers. About 45% of recycled textiles are sold as secondhand clothing, which typically is exported to developing countries, providing jobs for both exporting and importing countries. Another 30% gets turned into wiping and polishing cloths. And 20% becomes fiber used as raw materials for the automotive, furniture, mattress, home furnishings, paper, and other industries. The textile recycling industry’s total economic impact in the United States is nearly $1.2 billion. The United States exported $715 million of used textiles and clothing in 2018. Sources: John Dunham & Associates, Census Bureau, USITC U.S. textile recyclers processes billions of pounds of cotton, wool, synthetic, and synthetic-blend products each year .