Socks come as twins and act like only children. But who made the rule that socks have to match and go everywhere together anyway? It's the same people - some randoms - who are now decreeing that it's perfectly fine to wear odd socks. (Better if they they match your clothes somehow or have some kind of connection to each other, but not imperative.)Going rogue and losing a twin isn't the only reason people need to recycle socks of course. Kids grow out of them, fashion changes, sometimes you simply buy things that end up languishing in your cupboard.There are all kinds of ways to recycle socks so please don't put your rejects in the rubbish bin. You can make sock puppets or Venetian blind cleaners or you can pack them in a box and send them to Manrags, who will either upcycle or recycle them.
It's simple. If you are in Australia, go to Manrags website and purchase a biodegradable satchel for $2. Put your unwanted socks in the satchel when it arrives and send them in. Manrags accept up to 10 pairs or 20 individual socks and they sort through them to pull out any that can be up-cycled. These pairs will be sent to an industrial laundromat to be cleaned and then donated to people in need.
Any pairs that can’t be salvaged will be recycled and turned into new textiles, saving them from landfill! You’ll also earn a $20 store credit for your first return!
For those people who are squeamish about giving socks away. Ask yourself why (presuming they are washed!). There is nothing wrong with giving away perfectly good socks. If you are worried about what might be lurking in them - either as the giver or the receiver, wash them at a temperature over 60 degrees.
Around 30 million pairs of shoes are thrown into Australian landfills every year. Most shoes, especially sports shoes, are predominantly made out of plastics that can take up to 1000 years to break down.
By donating your shoes to a charity that will pass on your shoes to those in need, you will be helping prevent diseases caused by lack of proper footwear in developing countries, and help improve the livelihood of those in need.