Thu April 1, 2010

USAgain announces the number of clothes and shoes saved from landfills now tops 300 million pieces. 

Reusable items, including clothes, shoes and household textiles, have been collected by USAgain across the U.S. since 1999 and resold to thrift stores and wholesalers at home and abroad. After reaching the 300 million items collected on Thursday, a company spokesperson noted that: "In 11 years more than 1.5 million cubic yards of landfill space have been saved, enormous amounts of limited resources have been conserved, and just short of 1 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions have been prevented through our efforts".

What most people may not realize is that 85% of the 10 million tons of clothes consumed every year in the U.S. end up in landfills. This wasteful practice is costing tax payers dearly, but it doesn't have to be that way. "When given a convenient option to dispose of clothes in an environmentally friendly way, most people want to do the right thing" according to the USAgain spokesperson. "Rather than going to waste these clothes could instead provide a benefit for people looking for an eco-savvy bargain."

USAgain operates more than 8,000 collection bins in 14 states. Textiles are collected and brought to company warehouses where the material is processed and packed for wholesale. Most of the clothes and shoes end up being re-worn by people at home and abroad as an affordable option to buying new clothes.

For more information please contact USAgain.