Discarded garments, footwear, handbags, and various other fabric materials do not need to be thrown into landfills.
In Ipoh, Perak, fabric recycling bins are providing locals with a convenient method to discard unused items, thereby contributing to waste reduction.
Located at petrol stations, shopping malls, and local corners, these bins are subtly changing how residents perceive waste.
The project, launched in June of last year, is a joint venture involving Ipoh City Council (MBI) and various private sector collaborators.
Clear guidelines are posted on the bins, specifying that items such as garments, underclothing, scarves, headwear, belts, socks, footwear, handbags, school bags, and accessories may be placed inside.
Growing support
An increasing number of Ipoh locals view the textile recycling center as a viable and eco-conscious option for disposing of old garments.
The marketing manager, Sundeep Kaur, is pleased that there are specific recycling bins available for getting rid of clothes she no longer needs.
She mentioned that, similar to many people, she used to store unused clothes or throw them away without knowing there was a more eco-friendly alternative.
I came across a similar bin at a gas station close to my area and have been utilizing it ever since.
“It offers a useful and eco-friendly method to handle garments I no longer need,” Sundeep mentioned.
For administrative executive Noor Ashikin Mustafa Kamal, the facility has altered the way she handles clothes that her four children have grown out of.
It is significantly more convenient now, as before I would have torn the clothes and disposed of them with domestic waste.
“Now I have the ability to choose items that are still functional and take them to be used by others,” she mentioned.
Another Ipoh local, Aminudin Saidi, who is employed in the housekeeping department of a shopping mall, mentioned that he discards clothes approximately two or three times annually, mainly consisting of traditional garments like baju Melayu that he no longer uses.
He has also been urging relatives and friends to take advantage of the service.
“It involves contributing our share and supporting those who might require these items,” he mentioned.
For Nor Daliah Md Daud, an auxiliary police officer who has two children aged five and three, the facility provided a way to dispose of clothes they no longer need.
Norsuhada Muhammad, who was informed about the program, mentioned that her three-year-old would soon outgrow his clothing, although they were still in good shape.
It seems a shame to discard them.
The facility allows for usable items to be sorted and distributed to those in need.
“The advantage of the location, particularly within shopping malls, is a significant benefit,” mentioned the senior marketing executive.
An administrative assistant named Phang Lai Kham mentioned that she often tidied her wardrobe, setting aside unused items in recyclable bags.
I would either hand over the clothes to my friends or contribute them to orphanages or the Salvation Army.
“Currently, I have another choice to dispose of unwanted garments and handbags,” she mentioned.
Low-carbon goals
On November 1, Ipoh’s mayor, Datuk Zamakhshari Hanipah, informed journalists that over 53,000kg of old textiles had been gathered for recycling between June and October of the previous year.
The collaborative effort involves MBI, the private industry, and Life Line Clothing (M) Sdn Bhd (LLCM), which is responsible for recycling the donated items.
Zamakhshari mentioned that the initiatives align with the objective of transforming into a smart and low-carbon city by 2030, following the Ipoh Doughnut Economics model.
The mayor stated that 35 garment recycling bins have been set up within MBI’s area of responsibility, such as at various Shell stations, supermarkets, residential zones, and educational institutions.
LLCM manager Mohamad Zaki Suratman mentioned that the company has adopted a comprehensive strategy to maintain cleanliness at its textile recycling collection points, and to avoid bins from overflowing, especially during high disposal times.
He mentioned that every LLCM recycling bin is equipped with a QR code, enabling the public to notify about bins that are almost full.
Scanning the code allows users to trigger a notification through WhatsApp, allowing the logistics team to react quickly.
Furthermore, every bin contains details to assist the public with correct waste disposal methods.
Mohamad Zaki mentioned that the collection schedules were also influenced by seasonal and behavioral patterns.
Textile waste, he mentioned, usually rises from December to April, aligning with significant holiday and cultural events.
These times usually encourage families to organize and remove unnecessary items during their spring cleaning.
A comparable increase is noticed when recycling initiatives are launched in a region, as people get rid of stored clothing and textiles.
Nevertheless, this increase is short-lived and usually settles down when recycling becomes a common part of daily household routines.
Our goal is to make textile recycling easy and clean, while contributing positively to the environment.
He mentioned that MBI was not gathering payments for the initiative, but rewards were given to the public who took part in the recycling program.
These benefits are offered as shopping coupons from online clothing websites or LLCM’s stores.
Waste diversion strategy
The chairman of the Perak housing and local government committee, Sandrea Ng Shy Ching, stated that this initiative demonstrated that significant textile waste reduction can be successfully implemented at the local authority level through appropriate collaborations and robust community involvement.
She mentioned that the amount of fabric gathered indicated increasing recognition and involvement in recycling activities by the community.
This program is a component of a larger plan aimed at enhancing waste separation efforts and decreasing dependence on landfills in Perak.
The state government was initially presented with LLCM in 2024, and I went to the company’s recycling plant in Selangor to gain a deeper insight into its activities.
“After the visit, the company was invited to showcase its recycling model to local authorities in Perak,” she explained.
Sandrea mentioned that Ipoh was the initial local authority in Perak to establish a formal partnership with LLCM and launch an extensive fabric recycling initiative.
The achievement, she mentioned, is now considered a benchmark for other local authorities to adopt comparable programs.
The state administration is concentrating on enhancing recycling systems, increasing source segregation methods, and prolonging the duration of landfills.
Fabric recycling supports current waste reduction initiatives, such as e-waste, food waste, and used cooking oil collection.
She mentioned that data indicated Malaysia produces approximately two million kilograms of textile waste each day.
Such practices impose considerable strain on landfill areas and raises the expenses related to managing solid waste.
“LLCM categorizes the collected textile materials into up to 500 groups, then processes them for resale in the secondhand market or transforms them into new items,” said Sandrea.
Extending lifespans
The chairman of Perak’s science, environment, and green technology committee, Teh Kok Lim, stated that sharing and reusing discarded clothing is an efficient method to minimize household waste and promote environmental sustainability.
He mentioned that numerous families often keep a significant quantity of unused garments, despite the fact that most of them are still in good shape and can be utilized.
“Given the quality of fabrics available nowadays, garments seldom rip or deteriorate rapidly, making recycling and exchanging used clothes a viable option,” he stated.
Teh emphasized that consciousness towards the environment should start with small daily routines.
He urged the public to incorporate the 5R – refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover – principles into their daily routines.
He mentioned that measures to encourage the recycling of old garments would be carried out via local councils, with an emphasis on education campaigns and grassroots activities.
Teh mentioned that exchanging and reusing garments was a typical habit in earlier times, especially during eras when supplies were scarce.
Your parents and grandparents passed on and reused garments not just to minimize waste, but also to support each other.
“Bringing back this practice can assist in decreasing textile waste, while enhancing community relationships and promoting lasting environmental sustainability,” he mentioned.
Aeon Mall’s northern region manager, Badrol Shariff, mentioned that the used clothing recycling program is designed to increase public awareness about proper disposal and environmental sustainability.
“Thus far, the reaction has been quite positive,” he stated.
Residents of Ipoh have shown strong support and are ready to join this program.
Badrol mentioned that the collection bins were specifically created to facilitate ease of use, and up to now, the public has followed the rules by only placing used fabrics into the two recycling bins located at Aeon Mall Kinta City and Aeon Mall Ipoh Station 18.
Multiple challenges
The president of Ipoh City Watch, Dr. Richard Ng, stated that recycling old fabrics can aid in decreasing landfill waste, preserving natural resources, and promoting circular economy efforts, although its sustained effectiveness relies on effective administration.
He disclosed the obstacles encountered by comparable projects carried out in the Klang Valley and other areas in Perak.
He mentioned that although various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Perak actively gathered second-hand clothes for distribution to those in need using free-market approaches, numerous initiatives struggled to maintain sustainability over time.
Several problems were highlighted, including overfilled waste bins, inconsistent waste collection times, illegal scavenging, damage to property, and stealing.
In certain instances, containers of donated garments were opened and their contents spread out, while the contact numbers offered for support were said to be non-functional.
“Contamination has also been a significant issue, as food scraps, damaged electronic items, and assorted household waste were discovered in the fabric bins,” he mentioned.
Richard mentioned that substandard synthetic materials made the recycling process more challenging, leading to certain items eventually being disposed of in landfills.
To tackle these issues, enhanced public awareness initiatives have been suggested, such as more visible labels on waste containers, increased utilization of social media and local council communication platforms, along with partnerships with non-governmental organizations and neighborhood committees.
He recommended that MBI focus on these efforts by backing community-based second-hand stores, recycling workshops, and social businesses, especially those engaging women, young people, and B40 groups.
“This can be accomplished if MBI offers affordable rental areas,” he stated, and voiced his hope that the recent effort would remain viable over time.