Surf Coast Shire in Victoria, Australia, has launched a two-month free old textile recycling pilot at the Anglesea Transfer Station, running until November 30. Residents can drop off clean, dry old clothing and home textiles that can no longer be worn, keeping them out of landfill.

Key Points

  • The pilot is introduced by the Surf Coast Shire government at the Anglesea Transfer Station, open from now until November 30, 2026, lasting two months.
  • Victorian enterprise Textile Recyclers Group is responsible for sorting; materials that cannot be reused will be shredded into products such as insulation, furniture filling, blankets, and carpets.
  • 100% cotton T-shirts are collected separately and handed to Deakin University's Institute for Frontier Materials to test whether they can be recycled and regenerated into new textiles.

Accepted Items and Drop-off Requirements

Accepted items cover most clothing, shoes, bags, hats, bedding, towels, pillows, doonas, and fabric offcuts. Residents are limited to no more than five household garbage bags' worth per drop-off, and items must be delivered loose, not bagged.

Wet or mouldy textiles, swimwear, underwear, mattresses, mattress protectors, curtains, carpets, furniture, pet bedding, and toys are not accepted.

Government Position: Encourage Reuse First

Shire councillor Liz Pattison said local residents want better ways to deal with clothing and textiles they no longer need, so the council is happy to test this option in Anglesea. She said the pilot gives discarded textiles a new life rather than sending them straight to landfill, while also helping to understand what form an ongoing recycling service could take.

Pattison also reminded residents to prioritise reuse: "If clothing is in good condition, the best thing to do is pass it on, resell it, or donate it to an op shop. But if it is worn or damaged beyond reuse, as long as it is clean and dry, the textile recycling pilot in Anglesea offers another way out, helping keep it out of landfill."

Significance

Before formally studying a long-term service plan, the pilot will first assess resident demand and material collection volumes. Its data may influence whether Surf Coast Shire subsequently establishes a permanent textile recycling service. The sorting destination of collected items also extends to a university research stage, with the feasibility test for regenerating pure cotton T-shirts still awaiting conclusions from Deakin University.

Source: Give your old textiles a new life in Anglesea recycling tr - Armstrong Creek Times · Originally published 2026-10-13