Ballina residents are being urged to clear out their wardrobes and keep unwanted clothing out of landfill, with a new textile recycling event set to make it easier to give old items a second life.
Ballina Shire Council will host its first Clothing Drop-Off Day on Saturday 2 May, offering a free and simple way for locals to recycle clothing, accessories and household textiles.
The event will run from 10am to 2pm at the Ballina Salvage Shed car park on Southern Cross Drive, with a drive-through setup allowing residents to drop off items without leaving their vehicles.
Council has partnered with e-THREAD to collect gently used items, including men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, as well as shoes, bags, towels and bed linen.
Ballina Shire Council Resource Recovery Education Officer Justine Rowe said the event builds on strong community interest in reducing textile waste.
“The Ballina community has been highly engaged in our ReWear project, which kicked off in mid-2025 with the aim of supporting a local, circular clothing community,” she said.
“We held six workshops in 2025, sharing skills in textile mending, repair and upcycling. While we always encourage mindful consumption and extending the life of the clothes you already own, this drop-off event is an easy, free way to clear out your wardrobe, avoid sending textiles to landfill, and create positive environmental and social outcomes.”
Australians are among the world’s biggest consumers of fashion, buying an average of 55 new clothing items each year. At the same time, more than 200,000 tonnes of textiles end up in landfill annually, highlighting the scale of the waste challenge.
Producing clothing also carries a significant environmental cost, with a single pair of jeans requiring more than 10,000 litres of water to manufacture.
In addition to environmental benefits, proceeds from the collected textiles will support Open Parachute, helping deliver programs aimed at building resilience and supporting young people’s mental health.
“All you need to do is gather the clothing and textiles you no longer need, drive through the Salvage Shed car park, and the e-THREAD team will take care of the rest,” Ms Rowe said.
“You don’t even need to get out of your car — although you’re welcome to pop into the Salvage Shed while you’re there and enjoy a browse.”
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