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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Lucianne Tonti

Can you safely home compost clothing? Yes, with a few big caveats

A young woman in a yellow sweater lies in a field of daisies, top view.
It can be challenging – but not impossible – to compost your old garments, provided they meet certain criteria. Photograph: Tatiana Maksimova/Getty Images

Whether it’s the drawer you keep old tote bags in or a forgotten basket of stained T-shirts, piles of miscellaneous fabric you don’t know what to do with are an almost unavoidable part of modern life.

While there is an industry body working on an Australian textile recycling scheme, it is at least a few years away. In the meantime, textiles that are unsuitable for charitable donations remain a forgotten waste stream, making it tempting to look for alternative solutions. Imagine how satisfying it would be to treat old underwear like food waste by turning it into fertiliser via your home compost.

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