〰️
coming soon
✷ to auStin, tExas!
〰️ coming soon ✷ to auStin, tExas!
they say everything’s
Bigger in tExas!
Well so is our tExtile waste
But textile waste is a problem bigger than Texas. Textile production is estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finishing products. 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year which often ends up becoming a burden on vulnerable communities.
Whats the problem?
Putting the onus on consumers and telling us to buy less is only going to get us so far. We’ve all become accustomed to this consumption based society. While large scale habit changes are desperately need, those take time.
But that’s where we come in! We are partnering with local charities around Austin, TX (and beyond) to intercept the estimated 14,869,333 lbs (7,435 tons) of clothing that are shipping out of Austin and sent overseas to landfills every MONTH. Goodwill of Austin alone will ship off an estimated 1 million pounds every month.
I know, its gross. But that’s where we come in.
how does it work?
Step 1: Donations arrive to our warehouse.
Drop-off for free: Bring your textiles (clothes, sheets, towels, linens, etc.) to our facility for free.
Mail it to us: Ship your donations to us using our reusable mailers, starting at $20.
Pickup Services: For larger donations or commercial haul-offs, we offer pickups for a fee.
Step 2: We sort all the donations
Upon arrival, donations are inspected and categorized by our warehouse employees. Sorting ensures that items are directed toward their most sustainable use. Each item is assessed based on condition (e.g., torn, stained, or intact) and material type (e.g., cotton, polyester, wool).
Textiles are graded into different categories:
Grade A: High-quality items in good condition that can be reused or redistributed.
Grade B: Items that are slightly damaged but can be upcycled into new products.
Grade C: Items beyond repair, destined for shredding into stuffing or other materials.
Step 3: Clothes in good condition are redistributed.
Usable clothing (without tears or stains) is not recycled but redistributed.
Local Resellers: Good items are sold to small, local resellers.
Charity Partners: Clothing is donated to community partners like Heartening and ATX Free Fridge to directly benefit those in need.
Step 4: Textiles get cut up and upcycled into products.
Textiles not suitable for redistribution are upcycled into new products. (Designers and sewers can purchase upcycled textiles by the pound. )
Industrial Cleaning Rags: Sheets, towels, and cotton shirts are repurposed.
Unique Products: High-quality, natural fiber fabrics are transformed into one-of-a-kind clothing, napkins, and home goods.
Step 5: Remaining textiles get shredded into stuffing.
This shredded up stuffing is known as shoddy.
Uses: The stuffing is used for pillows, stuffed animals, furniture, moving blankets, carpet padding, and home insulation.
In-house Products: We’re working with some amazing local upholsters and designers to create beautiful, remade home goods for you to buy!
Step 6: Stuffing is sold wholesale & to people like you!
Usable clothing (without tears or stains) is not recycled but redistributed.
Small Batch Sales: Stuffing is available in 1lb-5lb bags, starting at $5/lb.
Wholesale: Sold in 100lb bales with pricing based on material type (e.g., mixed, 100% cotton, or 100% wool).
Coming Soon to Austin, Texas!
we’re building a ✹ tExtile recycling facility & hUb for tRansfOrmAtion.
We’re here to redefine the word “waste.”
What others discard, we transform. Your unusable clothes become valuable materials with endless potential—remade jackets, stuffed animals, home insulation, couch stuffing, and whatever else we can dream up.
The narrative of doom feels overwhelming these days, but we’re here to flip the script. Material Union exists to inspire action and spark hope by showing that creative ingenuity and community can lead to real, sustainable solutions.
By summer 2025, we aim to open our warehouse, storefront, and community center.
Our warehouse is the heart of this journey, where we’ll sort, process, and reimagine textiles no one wants into eco-friendly products for the home. But we’re not stopping there—our vision includes a vibrant space for reuse and connection.
Marketplace: Selling locally made products crafted by people in Austin, paid fair wages.
Workshop: Offering affordable classes, workshops, and hosting free mending nights.
Community Hub & Event Space: A place where those of us who are keeping Austin weird can come together to learn, redistribute resources, get free clothes, and build Austin’s circular economy.
We believe in solutions where everyone wins—our planet, our community, and our future. Join us on this journey to redefine what’s possible. Together, we can make things better for our homes, our city, and our planet.
OUR STORY
it all started with a Quilt cOat.
I found a woman in Bastrop, TX selling her grandmother’s old quilts because over the years they’d gotten holes and weren’t very useable.
I saw a new life possible for these heirloom pieces. And with love, crafted an upcycled coat for a dear friend. This got me thinking about how many textiles get thrown away, instead of finding new life.
So we set out to do something about it.
— Christa Marie Clark, Founder and Design Director
