Recycling Saves Energy, a blog post by EcoGoodz, a credential used clothing supplier in the US

The following infographic was posted to Twitter by EcoWaste, a leading international platform for advancing sustainable waste management and recycling.

This is an excellent reminder of why recycling is important.

In the production of goods, recycling uses less energy than if the goods were made using virgin resources. This means that fewer fossil fuels are burned, which reduces the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which decreases greenhouse gas emissions, which is better for our climate and environment overall.

Additionally, recycling uses less water and produces less hazardous waste runoff. Clothing production is especially problematic with regard to waste runoff and water pollution. It takes an incredible amount of water to turn raw materials into fabric; a process that is chemical-laden and costly to local flora and fauna. The recycling process for fabric and textiles, however, uses vastly less water and chemicals.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your used clothing gets recycled is to donate it to a charity or thrift store or find a textile recycling program in your area.

Buying used clothing instead of buying new clothing is part of the textile recycling chain. As we mentioned earlier, the textile production process is labor and energy intensive. When you buy secondhand clothing instead of new clothing, you are helping to decrease the demand for new clothing. If enough of us do this, production (supply) will slow down to match the decreased demand. Less production will equal less energy expended and less environmental pollution.

Clothes that are torn or stained can still be reused–the fibers can be broken down and rewoven or remade into other products.

No matter what the product is–paper, glass, metal, or clothing–recycling saves energy!