Composting old clothes?

[thundernlightning]

I've collected a bag of clothes that are just too ratty to go to charity shops or shelters. I have cut enough rags to last a lifetime and still have half a bag left. Someone told me you can compost old clothes. Has anyone done it? How long does it take? Do you need to worry about non-natural fibers or dyes?

Only natural fibres will compost.
If there's anything synthetic in there it won't break down.

I wondered about that. Thanks!

It doesn't work particularly well even with natural fibres - I wrapped some veg peelings etc in an old teatowel that had got badly scorched two years ago. Tipped out that composter (we rotate 4 over two years) the other day & the cloth was fairly intact.

I never know what to do with really scratty clothes either. In theory, our local tip sorts through the rag bank, passes on saleable clothes to a local charity, & the rags go to a firm that makes carpet underlay etc; but I have also been told that stuff gets incinerated when there's no demand.

I have made draft excluders from old pillowcases or old skirts, stuffed with rags & sewn up.

Save them and use them as drainage in the bottom of pots and planters

You have to shred them pretty small to get them to break down, and even then it takes ages. Shredded paper composts better & that ain't quick, either.

Whole article here about ethics in making shoddy.

ps: if any of it is at all pretty, you could offer up on local freegle for patchworkers?

I hadn't thought about offering up for crafty types, I'll do that before I decide what to do with the rest .

Thanks everyone for the tips and the link!

You can use woollens to line hanging baskets instead of buying liners.

If you give them to charity they can still get benefit from them no matter how grotty as damaged or low grade items can be sold to recycling traders so they can, for instance, be turned into car soundproofing or mattress stuffing.