Green Biz Wants Your Clothes…Six Million Pounds Of It
Six million pounds of clothes removed from landfills can offset emissions from 3,500 cars within a year; save enough water to fill 205 thousand swimming pools; avoid over 1 million pounds of pesticides and reduce the use of fertilizer for cotton growth.
A new textile collection company, aimed at recycling and reusing used clothes and shoes from landfills and local residents, planted its offices at 18 Sargent Place in Mount Vernon. The company, named US Again moved to Mount Vernon, utilizing the Mount Vernon location as a central location for its surrounding offices in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area. Regional Manager Ted Fisher adds that the Mount Vernon office has collected 1 million pounds alone.
A miniature New York City skyline takes shape with each garment, shoe, and bag hauled in by workers into the local warehouse. Unloaded from large trucks, clothing is sorted, bagged and piled into a compressor to form 5-foot three-dimensional cubes.
With over seven thousand locations in 15 states, locals can find green clothing drop bins around residential areas, schools, local businesses, shopping and community centers, and houses of worship. Once collected, garments are sold local and internationally to 80% of the world’s population in need of basic clothing supplies.
Shipping between 700 and one million pounds of clothing per month, Fisher noted, “Each of our clothing drop bins generates revenue, educates residents and schools on recycling, and local businesses and increase their green portfolio while lowering their carbon footprint.”