Clothes and linens (towels, bedding, rags) that are ripped and/or stained, or pieces of textiles that can be turned into rags or shredded for recycling.
Consider repair, stain removal and creative reuse before donation to an organization for reuse or recycling (rag and textile shredding).
Click here to learn more about clothing repair, stain removal for clothing and linens (DIY & non-toxic cleaners), and donation/recycling programs. Many cleaners have alteration services that include zipper repair for fabrics, while shoe repair businesses also provide zipper repair for purses, backpacks, and luggage.
| Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Method | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartwool Sock Recycling: Drop-off & Mail-in | Recycle | Free Drop-off, Free Mail-in, Mail-in for a Fee | Socks only! Clean, ripped, old, torn socks only, please. All brands, colors, sizes, and materials welcome (we’re not picky). No rolled or paired socks, bags, rubber bands, paper clips (just single socks). | |||
| Ridwell | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | Have recycling partners for clean, very stained, ripped, thread-worn textiles. (To note: City of Alameda Ridwell client's have their textiles shredded to be made into shoddy for carpet padding and vehicle seat stuffing (so be sure to only send clean, poor condition textiles.) Donate anything in good condition elsewhere.) | |||
| Trashie: Take Back Textile Bags | Recycle | Mail-in for a Fee | Offer mail-in Take Bag Bags for purchase to offset sorting and recycling costs with recycling partners. Items are sorted for reuse and recycling - to be made into new fibers or shredded for shoddy. | |||
| FixIt Clinic (In-person & Virtual) | Repair | Free On-site, Free Off-site | Self-repair through the Global Fixers Server on Discord or through Zoom FixIt Clinics. | |||
| Repair Cafe: Location Finder and Repair Guides | Repair | Free On-site | Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things (together). In the place where a Repair Café is located, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need with volunteer specialists on hand. On clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera. Use the website to locate, start or volunteer for a Repair Cafe and see Repair Guides - https://www.repaircafe.org/en/community/tips-tricks/. | |||
| Trashie: Take Back Textile Bags | Reuse | Mail-in for a Fee | Offer mail-in Take Bag Bags for purchase to offset sorting and recycling costs with recycling partners. Items are sorted for reuse and recycling - to be made into new fibers or shredded for shoddy. |
| Garbage | Bulky Pickup | Special Action | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | |||||
| Albany | |||||
| Berkeley | |||||
| Castro Valley Sanitary District |
Collect clean and dry materials in a large plastic bag to keep it clean during collection for reuse and recycling for Bulky & Reuse Pick-up. ### |
Clean and dry. See Textile Collection Program details.
Collect clean and dry materials in a large plastic bag to keep it clean during collection for reuse or recycling twice a year (first full week of June/Oct). Set bags or boxes of dry (no biowaste) textiles by blue cart.
Residents are eligible to drop-off their textiles at Recycles Day collection events (currently held in April and July). ### |
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| Dublin | |||||
| Emeryville | |||||
| Fremont |
Place clean, dry items in clear bags for donation. Donate clean, dry items to large thrifts for rag market or recycling into carpet padding, automotive stuffing, or the like. ### |
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| Hayward | |||||
| Hayward (Oro Loma - L2) | |||||
| Livermore |
During the first week of every January, April, July, October, gently used household textiles (sheets, towels, etc.) and clothing will be collected and donated to a local charity. Items should be clean and placed in a tightly tied clear bag next to the recyclables cart on your collection day. Receipts not provided. ### |
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| Newark | |||||
| Oakland |
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| Piedmont | |||||
| Pleasanton | |||||
| San Leandro |
Bagged clean/dry textiles are collected during your regular collection day on the first full week of June and October for all residents. See sanleandrosorts.com/textile for what clean/dry items to collect for reuse and recycling. Bags will be picked up by a separate vehicle. No donation receipts provided. ### |
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| San Leandro (Oro Loma - L3) | |||||
| San Lorenzo (Oro Loma) | |||||
| Unincorporated Oro Loma (L1) | |||||
| Union City |
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