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Interlink Upcycling

interlinked with environment, interlinked with community

Interlink Upcycling is located on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging, and acknowledge their continuing connection to Country, which has lasted for thousands of years. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

War on Waste: Pile of clothes thrown out in 10 mins - ABC EducationHow does fashion contribute to the War on Waste?

At Interlink Upcycling, our goal is to keep used textiles out of the bin. We collect worn, damaged and unsaleable clothes and household textiles, and use the fabric to create new items.

Why upcycle?

It's great for the environment! It reduces the amount of waste going to landfill, and local upcycling reduces carbon emissions from the transport of unwanted items. Plus, reducing demand for new items helps reduce pollution from manufacturing.

Waste shipped across the world: a double whammy

Unwanted clothing has some specific problems. The amount of clothing that is donated to op shops far exceeds the amount that can be sold, and in many cases, clothes that can't be sold in Australia are resold to low-income countries. These shipments often include unusable items, which ultimately end up in landfill. Throwing old clothes in the bin isn't great, but shipping them overseas to be thrown out in low-income countries is even worse.

For decades, the West's unwanted fashion has made its way to used-clothing markets in Africa. Now it's fuelling an environmental catastrophe.www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-12/fast-fashion-turning-parts-ghana-into-toxic-landfill/100358702

How can I help?

We all know the mantra: if you wouldn't give it to a friend, don't donate it. But here at Interlink Upcycling, we hate throwing clothes in the bin! Items that can no longer be worn often still have plenty of usable fabric. So next time you take clothes to a charity or recycling bin, do a check: Are the items you're dropping off still usable? Does the organisation you're donating to keep unusable items in Australia for recycling? If not, contact us for collection instead! See the 'What we accept' page for more information.