Retex Northwest is working within the northwest community to develop comprehensive and strategic environmental solutions for recycling unwanted cloths, shoes, backpacks and other textiles. Our greatest goals — providing recycled clothing to people in need, while reducing our solid waste landfills. In 2003, 10.6 million tons of textiles ended up in U.S. solid waste landfills. The garments you recycle will benefit people all over the globe. Collected textiles and shoes are shipped to overseas grading stations where they are sorted by size, season, gender, and condition... then shipped to countries which are experiencing severe shortages of even the most basic clothing. Garments which are no longer wearable can be made into "rags" or pulled apart and reprocessed into fibers for paper, upholstery, and insulation materials. Cloths which can’t be recycled are composted whenever possible. Less than 5% of the unused clothing will end up as solid waste.