Textile recycling drive

Recycle your old clothes and: 1–23 May

Give your unwanted textiles a second life and contribute to the increase recycling rates of University of Sydney staff and students. 

From 1 to 23 May, drop off clean clothing, shoes, accessories, and household linen at collection points in the Susan Wakil Health Building, Careers Centre (Carslaw Building) and the ThinkSpace in Jane Foss Russell Building during opening hours. Items will be reused or responsibly recycled in partnership with Upparel, helping to reduce waste to landfill. 

University placement uniforms can also be recycled, even if damaged or worn out. If you have a large amount of University of Sydney branded uniforms, please contact madeleine.culp@sydney.edu.au to arrange recycling. 

Drop-off points: 

Careers Centre Reception 
Carslaw West
Level 2, Carslaw Building (F07)
Camperdown Campus, University of Sydney, NSW 2006

Sci Tech Library
Level 1, Jane Foss Russell Building (G02)
160 City Road
Darlington Campus, University of Sydney NSW 2006

Susan Wakil Health Building (D18)
Level 1 (near notice board), Western Avenue
Camperdown Campus, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006

What you can recycle during the textile drive

We are partnering with Upparel to recycle the textiles collected. Upparel accepts a wide range of clean, dry textiles—whether they’re new, used, worn out or damaged. 

Here’s what you can recycle:

Clothing

• Shirts, tops, t-shirts, jumpers

• Pants, jeans, shorts, skirts

• Dresses, coats, jackets

• Activewear, swimwear

• Sleepwear and wireless bras (or wired bras with the wire removed)

• Socks (pairs or singles)

Footwear

• Shoes (must be in pairs, any condition)

• Sandals, boots, runners

• Thongs, slippers

Accessories

• Hats, beanies, scarves, gloves

• Belts, handbags, backpacks

Household textiles

• Towels, tea towels

• Bedsheets, pillowcases, quilt covers

• Curtains, tablecloths, cushion covers

Fabric scraps

• Offcuts or remnants (minimum size 15cm x 15cm)

Uniforms

• University placement uniforms (including worn or damaged items)

• University of Sydney branded clothes

Please note:

• All items must be clean and dry

• Do not include heavily soiled, wet or mouldy items

• No pillows, doonas, mattresses, rugs or carpets

• No textiles with oil, paint or chemical contamination

• No electronic or smart clothing

What happens to the items?
Once Upparel receives the textiles, they are carefully sorted for reuse or recycling. Items in good condition are either donated to charity partners or resold to extend their life. Worn or damaged textiles are mechanically broken down and transformed into new materials, such as:

• Furniture and homewares: cushion fill, insulation, and padding

• Retail and logistics: moving blankets, acoustic panels, packing materials

• New textiles: recycled yarns and fabric blends

Please contact university.sustainability@sydney.edu.au for more information.