a different kind of recycling

Here is another thing that I can't bring myself to throw away...little bits and pieces of fabric that are left from cutting shapes for quilt blocks.
Also the selvege edge of fabric and trimmings from any shirts that I cut up to use in quilts.

 I even have a hard time throwing away torn and stained tee shirts, thinking I may find a use for them. I have tried using some of this stuff to fill throw pillows but it is too lumpy and heavy.

Recently I learned some information about these white bins labeled "Special Olympics", that I have noticed in some parking lots around town.

As you can see they are collecting clothes, books, and shoes.  I looked up the  website  printed on the bin, and found that the Special Olympics organization sells these donated things to Ohio Mills.

Ohio Mills then sells any good and usable things in thrift stores...then the lower quality clothing is sold in bulk to developing countries. The remaining stuff is recycled into rags, carpet padding and so forth.

Maybe they can use these scraps in the recycling process.

Isn't that a lot better than putting it in a landfill?

Oh, it's still sort of hard to throw it in there! Just take a deep breath and let it go!

I had no problem throwing Lonnie's old tennis shoes in there. And I was sort of relieved to throw a whole set of Funk and Wagnalls 1976 encyclopedias in there too...I haven't regretted it once!