FAQ's/Fact Sheet
Why recycle clothing?
Over 8 billion pounds of clothing ends up in landfills each year and represents almost 6% of solid waste in our nations landfills. Through our recycling program, we help in the fight against pollution by not contaminating our soil with textile products that would otherwise be buried, burned or destroyed.
Is American Recycling Technologies, Inc. a non-profit organization?
American Recycling Technologies, Inc. (ART) is an innovative and highly professional for-profit organization. We support local programs that are in dire need of funding. We support charities, law enforcement, fire departments, schools and many others. ART steps in where government support is limited or non-existent.
Does ART accept items besides clothing & shoes?
ART accepts all textiles (woven and non-woven fabrics) including, clean clothing, shoes, handbags, tablecloths, sheets, comforters, bedspreads and towels. Art does not accept rugs.
My organization would like to host a container, how does it work?
You provide the space…we do the rest! ART places containers after receiving permission from your managers. All property owners must be fully insured.
We offer premium placement fees, paid in advance, for allowing our recycling containers to remain on your property. Our containers have clear markings indicating their purpose. Your organization or your favorite charity’s logo is clearly marked on our containers along with a telephone number for additional information.
We service each location a minimum of twice per week to maintain an attractive, convenient drop-off spot for area residents.
Reports are provided to the municipality to earn Federal-recycling credits and a check is sent to all participating organizations quarterly. There is no continual obligation, you can stop participating at any time and we will remove the containers immediately.
Does ART offer bulk donation pick-ups?
ART does not offer individual home pick-ups, but we do offer pick-ups for businesses that would like donate.
What will it cost my organization to fundraise?
The program will not cost your organization a penny, but will generate thousands of dollars in funds year round!
What Happens To My Donation?
ART recycles recovered clothing in one of three ways:
- Some of the clothing is donated to the needy. Higher quality clothing is sold in bulk to organizations that sell to those who cannot afford to purchase new.
- Unusable clothing is sorted, washed, cut and sold for industrial use in businesses such as car washes and for cleaning heavy machinery.
- Other clothing is used in the auto industry as seat stuffing for large trucks.
How often are our containers serviced?
We take pride in keeping our communities clean and service our containers a minimum of once per week. Should our containers become full before pick-up, you can give us a call at 888-243-3273 and we will schedule a pick-up within 24 hours.
How much clothing does ART collect and recycle each year?
ART currently recycles 50 million+ pounds of clothes each year. ART has grown from recycling 50,000 pounds of clothes in 1993, to 250,000 pounds in 1994, to 3 million pounds in 1998, to 5 million pounds in 2000, to 10 million pounds in 2005, to 30 million pounds in 2010, to our current number of 50 million+ pounds per year! “Our growth and success has been tremendous,” said President, Bruce Binler.
Are you insured?
Yes, ART has been in business since 1993 and we have all required insurance to cover our containers placed on your property.