Are Blankets Recyclable?
Blankets! Many of us can write a book on how helpful they have been to us. Without a doubt, these blankets have been there for us on many cozy nights where there was no one to protect us. And this is why many of us have developed a strong affection for them.
However, this doesn’t mean that they are not capable of causing some issues to humans. Well, maybe not directly, but indirectly, we may be feeling the impacts of the blankets. One paramount example is to consider the environmental angle go it. One way or the other, blankets are affecting the environment through their wrong use and disposal.
This is why this post considers some of the salient environmental issues. Here, we consider if you can recycle blankets and the ways to reuse your blankets. We also take a look at the different creative things you can do with your blankets.
As you can see, you are faced with a lot of information. So, to get the best, sit back, and follow closely.
Can You Recycle Blankets?
Quick answer, yes you can recycle your blankets. We could stop here, but then we would not have discharged all our duties of fully informing you. So, let’s go to it; why is it possible to recycle your blankets?
Well, the quick answer again, your blankets are made with clothing or textile materials. And since you can recycle your clothes, it is possible to recycle your blankets. This, however, is not everything to know.
Your blankets may have been coated with plastics to make them last longer. If you use this kind of blanket, then you cannot recycle it. This is because of the plastic coating, as it may prevent it from being properly recycled.
Aside from this, if your blankets are stained, there is the possibility that you will not be able to recycle them. This is because the stain on it will contaminate other recyclable materials and prevent smooth recycling.
Before you also take your blankets for recycling, you should confirm if your local recycling station accepts. Yes, we said you could recycle, but there is also the chance that your local recycling company would not accept your kind of blanket. This is because manufacturers can make blankets with different kinds of clothing materials. And if your recycling station cannot recycle that kind of clothing material your blankets were made with, there’s no way it would accept your blankets.
So, for this purpose, always ensure you confirm your local station’s willingness before you send your blankets for recycling. This would save you a lot of stress.
Can You Throw An Old Blanket In The Recycling Bin?
Assuming the answer to this question is no, where would your old blankets go? You don’t have to worry too much about that. Later in this post, we would touch on things you can do with old blankets and reuse them. But first, let’s answer the question at hand. Can you throw old blankets in the recycling bin?
Well, the answer to this is yes. Like we said above, blankets are good materials that can be recycled. And once you have determined that a material is recyclable, you can always get out of it in the appropriate recycling bin.
But then, like always, there is a condition attached to putting your blankets in the recycling bin. So, let’s get to it.
Before you put your blanket in the recycling bin, ensure that they are not stained. Often blankets are stained with different things. Some of the common things include blood, body fluid, chemicals, ink, paints, etc. If your blanket is stained with any of this, it is not advisable to put them in the recycling bin. This is because they will contaminate the whole recycle and make it unit for use.
For this reason, you should always exclude stained blankets from your recycling bin.
What To Do With Old Blankets?
Old blankets would always bring back great memories of what you did with or under them. Now you have bought another one, and you think of what to do with the old ones, you seem not to be coming up with satisfactory answers.
Well, that is why we are here for you. We have found things you can do with old blankets.
1. You Can Donate Them
Donating things for a good cause has been around since time immemorial. Through donating, people have been able to pull through many difficult times. And now that you have some old blankets, this is the time to donate to those who might be in need. Here, you can donate to a charity home. You can also donate to an animal farm or give to the homeless on the streets.
Whatever way you choose to donate your blankets, always ensure that they are still in good condition. This is to allow those you are giving them to have good use of the blankets for the time being.
2. You Can Sell Them
Here’s a good way to make some cash. You can sell your old blankets if they are still in usable condition. There are many online platforms that you can advertise your blankets for sale. The price would vary based on the quality of the materials of your blankets. So, it is advisable that you know your blankets before deciding to sell them. This will allow you to negotiate from a strong point and get value for your blankets.
3. You Can Gift Them
Gifting things is a way by which we show love to different people. You can gift blankets to those that are close to you. You can ask your neighbor or family friends if they need some blankets. They may have it as extra for camping or other uses.
4. You Can Repurpose Them
Yes, hardly would you find something that cannot be repurposed into making new other things. Most times, when you repurpose your old stuff, you are giving them a new life. So, if you ever think of what you can do with old blankets, know that you can repurpose them. Below, we will state some of the ways through which you can creatively repurpose your blankets.
7 Amazing Ways To Reuse Old Blankets
Having blankets in your home would always be useful. From the point you bought them till the time you consider them as old, they have served great purpose. Now that it is old, and you have bought some new ones, do you throw the old blankets away? Of course not. There are many creative ways to put your blankets.
And those creative ways are what we co sides in this segment of this post. If you want to get a bit creative with your blankets, follow through.
1. Keep Them For Camping
Yeah, we agree that this might not have some elements of creativity as you would have expected, but it’s a prudent way to reuse your old blankets. If we are to face the fact as it is, that the blankets you consider old are probably still going to do a lot to keep you from freezing in cold nights or mornings.
If you designate some of these blankets for camping, you would not have to worry about your home blankets getting dirty on the field. Also, since you would be using old, you would have little to lose if you misplace them. So, there is it. Keep those old blankets and use them when next you go camping.
2. Make Animal Beds
One way to creatively reuse your blankets is to allow your pets to enjoy what is left of the comfort the blankers have to offer. This way, you can make an animal bed for your cat or dog.
Depending on how big your pets are or their numbers, you can decide to fold the blankets or cut them into parts. This would allow you to distribute them among all your pets evenly.
3. Save For Picnic
If you are the type that constantly goes on a picnic, then you might have to need a blanket for one of your open-air picnics. This way, you would prevent the situations where you have the beach sand entering your shoes where you are seated.
What you have to do is lay the blankets down before placing your coolers and other stuff. And then you can have your sit and enjoy your picnic.
4. Make A Curtain
Blankets might have been made to cover yourself on cold nights, but there’s nothing that prevents you from converting the old ones to curtains. This sounds like something big, but it is achievable.
What you have to do is simple and straightforward. Once you have washed your curtain, place it on the floor or any flat and wide surface. Then you will fold one end of the curtain and sew. This is where your curtain liner will pass through. After all these, you can put on your curtain liners and hang the curtain. That’s all; you just got yourself a new curtain from your old blankets.
5. Make A Cookware Pad
Getting things off the stove and oven is practically impossible without pads to protect your hands. New pads of this type may cause some amount, but why spend money on them when you can make one yourself?
With your old blankets, you can make yourself new cookware pads. What you have to do is cut into small square or rectangular sizes. Make sure you stack many together to make them thick but flexible enough to bend when you need them to. After this, you can sew each stacked blankets.
6. Make Tote Bags
You don’t have to spend money each time you need to get a tote bag. With your blankets, you can make new tote bags. It is simple to make, so don’t fidget.
You have to cut the blankets to your desired sizes and sew all angles except the top. You will need to add the carriage handle, so you need to cut out and sew the handle to the tote bag. Tote bags don’t have zips, but you can add a zip to yours if you want it to be different. Depending on how free you are and your skills and the number of blankets, you can make tote bags and sell them to different people.
7. Use As Rags
We don’t need to deliberate too much in this. What you have to do is cut your blankets into different sizes and use them for rags. The next time you mistakenly spill something, you can use the old blankets to wipe it.
So, there you have it. Those are the many ways you can reuse your old blankets. You don’t have to let them waste away anymore.
Conclusion
Blankets have served great purposes in making us comfortable. Almost everyone can tell the story of those cold nights where they had nothing but their blankets to protect them from the cold. As much as this is good, we also have to be conscious of how we take care of those blankets. We can’t wait to begin to dispose of them or treat them in a way that will harm the environment.
As you have seen above, we have provided ways you can properly treat your blanket and save the environment. In all you do, always be conscious of the environment, that’s the only place we have got. We must have it through our actions.
References:
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/repurpose-old-blankets-and-bedding/