They say everything’s bigger in Texas. Well so is our textile waste.
But textile waste is a problem bigger than Texas.
Textile production is estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finishing products. 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year which often ends up becoming a burden on vulnerable communities.
Putting the onus on consumers and telling us to buy less is only going to get us so far. We’ve all become accustomed to this consumption based society. While large scale habit changes are desperately need, those take time.
But that’s where we come in! We are partnering with local charities around Austin, TX (and beyond) to intercept the estimated 14,869,333 lbs (7,435 tons) of clothing that are shipping out of Austin and sent overseas to landfills every MONTH. Goodwill of Austin alone will ship off an estimated 1 million pounds every month. I know, its gross.
So we are creating a warehouse to sort, process, and turn those clothes no one wants into eco-friendly, high-performing insulation for homes.
We believe in creating scenarios in which everyone wins. As the weather continues to get more extreme, good home insulation becomes all the more important and developers want to find more ways to create sustainably built housing. Let’s make things better together.
Our mission
We’re here to redefine the word “waste.” Your trash is truly our treasure. We’re putting that waste to work and making it a valuable material that can go on to have many more lives; as home insulation, acoustic panels, couch stuffing… whatever we dream up.
It feels like everything we read these days is painting a picture of doom. We created Material Union because we believe in transcending that narrative.
We’re currently building our team of visionary folks with expertise in operations + engineering; and have unwavering dedication to quality and sustainable solutions.
So we’ve embarked on an odyssey of creative ingenuity. Will you join us?
Statistically, the average American generates 82 lbs of textile waste each year, and the USA alone dumped (landfills or burned) close to 14 million tons of textile waste in 2018 with only 2.5 million tones recycled
Circular Economy and Sustainability of the Clothing and Textile Industry
Published online 2021 Jul 6. doi: 10.1007/s42824-021-00026-2
SERVICES
Textile recycling
Our warehouse will accept donations of any kind of textile. We are working on partnerships with location charities to receive and sort donations in bulk. Any clothing and materials that are still in good shape and useable will be distributed directly to people that need them.
PRODUCTS
Home insulation, acoustic panels, furniture filler & polyfill
More coming soon.
OUR STORY
It all started with a quilt coat.
I found a woman in Bastrop, TX selling her grandmother’s old quilts because over the years they’d gotten holes and weren’t very useable.
I saw a new life possible for these heirloom pieces. And with love, crafted an upcycled coat for a dear friend. This got me thinking about how many textiles get thrown away, instead of finding new life.
So we set out to do something about it.
— Christa Marie Clark, Founder and Design Director
To learn more about this crisis, watch the Textile Mountain documentary.
*Material Union is in no way affiliated with the Textile Mountain documentary or creators. We think it’s the best portrayal of what’s happening in Nairobi and other developing countries.
Photo credit and IP belong to Textile Mountain.