Stockport residents encouraged to give old clothes and school uniforms a new life in recycling campaign

Stockport residents are being encouraged to recycle their old, damaged or unwanted clothes instead of throwing them away, as part of the Greater Manchester-wide #CottonOn campaign.

The campaign, launched by Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) aims to address the 16,700 tonnes of textiles that are thrown away every year in the city-region. While many donate unwanted items that are still wearable to charity shops or sell them online, damaged clothes and textiles can also be recycled.

Stockport has textile banks at its three recycling centres, with many also housed in supermarket car parks and in some large clothing stores. All clothes from these banks are hand-sorted in Greater Manchester. Clothing that can’t be re-worn is recycled into something new like animal bedding, carpet underlay and even car seats, right here in the UK.

To help promote the recycling campaign to Stockport residents, a rainbow themed ‘washing line’ will also appear at Merseyway Shopping Centre.

As well as this, Stockport Council has issued an appeal to any families with spare or unused school uniforms to donate their items, provided they are in good condition, as part of a brand new scheme to be launched later this year. The aim is to reduce unnecessary waste, and to help families who may be in need of support.

Uniforms can be donated at any of the following locations:

• Stockport Signpost for Carers, The Heatons Centre, Thornfield Road, Stockport, SK4 3LD
• Any of Stockport’s 16 libraries
• Bredbury or Reddish Morrisons supermarkets
• Disability Stockport, 23 High Street, Stockport, SK1 1EG
• Age UK Stockport, Commonweal, 56 Wellington St, Stockport, SK1 3AQ