Giving textiles a new life

In just the first month of operation, Council’s new Textile Recovery Boxes prevented 1,849kg of unwanted textile products going to landfill.

The boxes landed at Council’s Transfer Stations in November last year and by 31 December, 2023, partner Upcycle4Better (U4B) provided the incredible data.

Residents have the opportunity to drop off any of their unwanted items at the Euroa Nagambie, Violet Town and Avenel Transfer Stations for FREE and it’s clear the program has been embraced.

Administrator Peter Stephenson gave a big shout-out to the Violet Town community for contributing more than half of the total.

“It’s great to see all of our residents embracing this service, however, we have seen incredible numbers from Violet Town residents.

“It’s a true credit to our residents who have taken the time to drop off their unwanted textiles to ensure they receive a new lease on life.”

Textiles collected in the recovery boxes are sent to a sorting facility where they are categorised into over 500 different streams.

The team at U4B prioritise reusing items initially, as it requires little or no resources to keep products in use. When repairable, U4B will work to give a fresh look to otherwise re-wearable items, so they can head back into local shops for the community.

The second priority goes to upcycling – which means garments or textiles are deconstructed (think zippers taken off, buttons and trims removed, etc) to have their parts reused in a different way.

These items can be made into bags, hats, pet beds and a myriad of other items which are offered to zero waste stores and charities and items such as buttons and zips are also repurposed.

You can find Council’s Transfer Station’s opening hours and addresses on the Council website via https://www.strathbogie.vic.gov.au/services/rubbish/transfer-stations/