Textile shredding and recycling
If you need to dispose of old, unwanted or outmoded uniforms, you need our professional uniform shredding service.
Shred Station’s textile shredding and recycling services can help to protect your brand and minimise waste. We can accept all fabric types, and our strict Zero to Landfill policy guarantees that none of your textile waste will enter landfill.
Environmentally conscious textile shredding and recycling
Shred Station prioritises the environment. As a CarbonNeutral® certified company, we conduct our textile recycling process with environmental care and consideration. When it comes to textile recycling, we won’t spin any yarns. Some textiles are recyclable; others aren’t. Whether they are or aren’t, we will always use the most sustainable option available for your waste textiles.
Lifetime carbon neutral
Shred Station has maintained annual CarbonNeutral® company certification since 2019. In 2024, we became a lifetime CarbonNeutral® certified company.
Zero to landfill & no overseas shipping
Absolutely nothing we destroy goes to landfill. We utilise separate waste streams for the materials we process, maximising recycling rates. If your textiles are recyclable, we’ll recycle them here in the UK.
Textiles are recycled wherever possible
Textile recycling is complex, with different recycling processes required for various fibres. We recycle everything we can, and no textiles we handle will ever go to landfill.
We are innovators in the textile industry
Shred Station joined The ACT UK project in 2023, aiming to develop and pilot the world’s first automatic sorting and pre-processing plant for waste textiles.
Shredding and recycling textiles securely
Shredding is a key part of the textile recycling process. If you want to protect your brand identity whilst also ensuring your unwanted textiles avoid landfill, textile shredding with Shred Station is a great option. Shredding is one of the safest methods of secure textile destruction.
Our state-of-the-art shredding facilities meet EN 15713 European shredding standards, our vehicles and depots are fully monitored by CCTV, and all of your textiles will be handled by security-vetted staff. We also provide a Waste Transfer Note and Certificate of Destruction with every service. Get in touch with our team for a quick quote today.
How textile shredding and recycling services work
When you arrange a service for shredding and textile waste recycling, we will visit your premises in our branded vehicle, collect your garments, seal the vehicle for secure transportation, and shred the textiles on arrival at our secure shredding depot and recycling facility.
We can facilitate on-site shredding services for textiles, but almost always recommend our secure off-site service if destroying multiple fibre types. This gives us the best chance of being able to recycle your textiles after shredding.
Fabric shredding is possible for all types of fabric, but not all types of fabric are recyclable. If you let us know what types of fabric or clothing you have for destruction, we will be able to explain what your best options are.
We are transparent about clothing destruction
We will collect and destroy any type of textile, uniform, or PPE. With our clothing shredding services, we guarantee that nothing we shred goes to landfill. Whether it’s last season’s passé fashion items or an outdated company uniform, we will protect your garments at every step of the process. Our clothing destruction and uniform shredding services are fully accredited, and all destruction is performed by our team of security-vetted personnel.
For many companies looking to destroy and recycle textiles, fashion items, or uniforms, we understand that reuse applications can be just as important as security. For maximum recyclability, we encourage customers to sort their textile waste by fibre type wherever possible. This is because different fibres, such as cottons and polyesters, are recycled in different ways. This makes textile recycling a lot more complex than something like paper recycling.
Some textile recycling companies will tell you that all of your uniform shredding or material destruction will end in recycling. However, this is not always possible unless materials are separated by fibre types. We are fully transparent about reuse possibilities when it comes to your fabric waste recycling. Our textile shredding help guide explains more about how to segregate your waste best.
How we recycle textiles
How we recycle textiles depends on the fibres the textiles are made from. For instance, for textiles comprised exclusively of 100% polyester, we would shred this and melt it down into new plastic pellets, which can then be made into recycled polyester. If you approve, we also partner with Mousekins – a British homeware maker and social sewing partnership. Mousekins collects surplus industry samples and shredded textiles and, using charity partners such as Fine Cell Work, turns them into beautiful items for the home, such as door stops, draught excluders and pouffes. Another option is rag recycling, where recyclable, shredded textiles are made into items such as dust cloths. For non-recyclable textiles, the shredded material is used to make either Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) or Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) at Energy from Waste facilities.
We have the capacity to shred unlimited quantities of textiles, so we can support companies of all sizes looking for textile, uniform, or PPE destruction. Our clients include sports clubs, supermarkets, emergency services, fashion houses, travel operators, public utilities, banks, restaurants, and clothing designers. Our services are UK-wide, and we are a lifetime CarbonNeutral® certified company. All emissions generated in the provision of our textile shredding service are offset to zero in line with the requirements of The CarbonNeutral Protocol.
“Finding a sustainable solution for regular textile waste will help in the pursuit of net zero, in alignment with Bristol Weaving Mill’s sustainability objectives”.
Juliet Bailey, Bristol Weaving Mill.
Uniform shredding and recycling
If you need to dispose of old, unwanted, or outdated uniforms, a professional uniform shredding service is your ideal solution.
At Shred Station, we understand how important it is for companies to protect their corporate identity by destroying old uniforms. We specialise in the secure destruction of confidential and restricted materials, and, in most cases, uniforms should also be disposed of securely.
Uniforms, in the wrong hands, could be misused to impersonate workers, gain entry to your premises, harm your brand, and even commit fraud or corporate identity theft. Our secure uniform recycling service ensures that the risk of uniform misuse is eliminated. If you’re wondering how to dispose of old uniforms, look no further than Shred Station.
“Excellent, professional service. I have received excellent service from my contact Jack Flesher over the past few months and we will be using Shred Station again should we have a need for further disposal of old uniform garments.”
National standards body, Hemel Hempstead site.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your query hasn’t been answered on this page, please feel free to head over to our FAQs page for more information.
Why is textile recycling difficult?
Unlike paper, mixed and blended textiles are extremely difficult to recycle. We want to change that at Shred Station, which is why we joined the ACT UK project. This £4m project created a pilot for the world’s first automatic sorting plant for unwearable textiles. The reason textiles are currently so difficult to recycle is that different fibres are recycled in different ways. For example, pure polyesters can be melted down after shredding and made into new plastic pallets. Pure cotton can be shredded and re-spun into recycled cotton. However, with totally mixed materials, recycling isn’t possible.
What does Shred Station do with textiles?
We will recycle as much of your textiles as possible. Where recycling isn’t possible for your textiles, we can send the shredded textiles to Mousekins, if you approve. Alternatively, we will utilise a process called rag recycling or Energy from Waste. We are a Zero to Landfill company, so nothing we shred on your behalf will enter landfill sites.
Why should you shred textiles before recycling them?
There are many reasons companies choose to shred textiles before recycling. For example, old uniforms featuring company logos could be misused to impersonate employees if they fall into the wrong hands. Last season’s fashion garments and accessories may also need to be destroyed to protect brand identity and reduce the risk of counterfeiting. Whatever reason you need to shred your textiles before recycling, we can help.
Related resources
Learn more about the UK’s textile recycling industry and what Shred Station is doing to improve it.
Old work uniform disposal
We explore the best options for secure uniform recycling and disposal and delve into some uniform misuse cases in the UK.
https://www.shredstation.co.uk/blog/what-to-do-with-old-work-uniforms/
Textile recycling in the UK
We explain why textile recycling isn’t always possible in the UK and how you can maximise your fabric recycling.
https://www.shredstation.co.uk/blog/textile-recycling-in-the-uk/
Fashion industry clothing destruction
The fashion industry is often branded as wasteful. We explain why garment destruction is sometimes necessary and the little-known benefits.
https://www.shredstation.co.uk/blog/clothing-destruction-in-the-fashion-industry/
Destroying PPE at work
When PPE is no longer usable, many organisations choose to destroy it. From stab-proof vests to dust masks, we go over your best options.
https://www.shredstation.co.uk/blog/destroying-ppe-safety-equipment/
The ACT UK Project
Working on the ACT UK project, Shred Station aims to develop and pilot the world’s first fully integrated textile sorting and pre-processing plant.
https://www.shredstation.co.uk/blog/shred-station-joins-4m-project-to-revolutionise-textile-recycling/
The Digital Supply Chain Hub
Shred Station has joined the Digital Supply Chain Hub. The project aims to reduce CO2e in textile transportation logistics.
https://www.shredstation.co.uk/blog/shred-station-joins-the-digital-supply-chain-hub/