Disposing of clothing
Re-purpose them
You can use the fabric to make most everything. The fabric is still good, the zippers and buttons can be reused. The elastic can be reused. Take the clothing apart ....
I've made quilts with my kids old clothing (my favorite, which I gave away to a friend, years ago was a quilt made with all old baby sleepers. I fit them together so it was obvious they were all baby sleepers. It was really cute). I've made dog clothing from the arms of sweat shirts and sweaters. My daughter-in-law uses old wool sweaters (which she felts first) as the absorbent parts of her diapers (so the wool is between and outer waterproof layer, and an inner soft cotton).
These are super absorbent, and keep the kids dry all night.
We've made lot of dolls and doll clothing out of scraps of old clothing fabric.
I've made rag rugs from t-shirts (cut, into thin strips, sewn together, then braided the strips, then sewn the long braids together in a spirial) for the dog's beds, and made rag baskets. T-shirt strips can also be woven, but I don't weave. Have made thin strips of t-shirts into "yarn" and with big bulky needles made bath mats, and some pretty cool car washing mitts.
Lone socks have become sock puppets, doll clothing, and dog and cat toys.
An old kids jacket (with arms removed and sewn up) became a hot water bottle "snuggie". (I left the zipper in place.)
I've seen old t-shirts become car seat covers.
Jeans become skirts, or garden aprons, or grocery bags, or patches to patch other jeans, or hot pads (several layers are really GREAT for that.) or dog toys (durable).
My daughter took some of her dad's old dress shirts and made a really cool skirt. She removed the arms and collars, left the buttons, and buttoned the four shirts together, to make one big wide "shirt", sewed to keep the buttons closed. Added elastic for the waist, and had this big flowing summer skirt. It was very cool.
Needless to say, before we "dispose" of clothing (by donating to Goodwill) we first look them over, and put the "good ones" aside for re-purposing.
I think the more important question....what CAN'T old clothing become?
--