Overview
Composting clothes is a viable solution to the enormous amount of clothing waste our planet faces. However, finding clothes that are appropriate for the compost can be tricky. Only clothing made from 100% natural fibers can be composted. Natural cotton, silk, wool, linen, cashmere, hemp, jute, lyocell, modal, and bamboo fabric are sustainable fabrics that can be composted. Fabric blends of natural and synthetic fibers are more of a judgment call, depending on the mix and how much synthetic fiber is in the blend. Any embellishments like buttons, zippers, snaps, or other metal components won’t be biodegradable and will have to be removed. Additionally, synthetic or natural dyes and fabric finishes are other considerations when it comes to composting clothes. Clothing tags are usually made of plastic materials and are not compostable. Stained fabrics from the “what not to compost” list, like paint or engine oil, should not be composted. When in doubt, it’s best to leave it out to avoid spoiling the whole compost batch.
