Dispose of uniforms? Five recovery routes for old corporate clothing

Anyone having to dispose of uniforms chooses general waste surprisingly often. There are five routes, all of them better. Which one fits depends on condition, logo and quantity.

Why uniforms are a special case when it comes to disposal

The reason is almost always the logo. A printed or embroidered marking rules out the two simplest routes, because the company loses control over where it resurfaces. That very logo is the reason the fifth route works.

Route 1: continue using internally

The simplest case. Items in good condition go back into stock, as reserve, for apprentices, for temporary staff or for the workshop.

This works as long as sizes and condition fit and the clothing has not been rendered unusable by a rebrand. That is exactly where it usually fails.

Route 2: donate

Obvious, but more complicated than expected. Passing on clothing with a company logo is sensitive for many companies, because they lose control over where the logo appears.

With neutral clothing carrying no marking, the route is unproblematic. With uniforms of an official character it is generally ruled out.

Route 3: sale to a recovery operator

There are companies that buy and sort used clothing. The proceeds are small, but the stock is gone and is used on.

Here too the logo is the sticking point. Many recovery operators do not accept marked uniforms, or the marking has to be laboriously obscured beforehand.

Route 4: recycling

In recycling, the material is shredded and processed into fibres. With occupational clothing this is demanding, because it almost always consists of blended fabrics and contains reflective strips, zips and coatings.

What comes out is usually insulation material or cleaning rags. Technically that is downcycling and not recycling, yet the quotation often states only the latter. We have broken the difference down in a separate article.

Route 5: upcycling

With upcycling, the fabric stays as it is. It is cleaned, cut and made into a new product. Jackets and sweatshirts become laptop sleeves, belt bags and toiletry bags; shirts and polo shirts become drawstring bags, cushions and cases.

The difference to all other routes: the logo is not an obstacle but the reason the product works. The marking that gets in the way with donation and sale becomes a recognition feature.

Which products are made from which garment, and what that means with blended fabrics and protective clothing, is set out in detail in our article comparing recycling and upcycling for workwear.

What applies to certified protective clothing

PPE is a special case. Decommissioned protective clothing may not be passed on as protective clothing if the protective effect is no longer assured. For processing into products with no protective function this is not an obstacle, but it should be clarified in advance.