Community partnership gives second chance to clothing, reducing landfill waste

Fanshawe College and its students are working with Goodwill Industries and the City of London to promote sustainability in the Forest City. 

From July 2 to July 20, 2025, the Worn or Torn donation drive will collect old clothing and other textile items in Byron. 

This is a pilot project, and its goal is to reduce the amount of clothing and textiles that end up in London’s landfill. Each year, Canadians dispose of 37 kilograms or 81 pounds of clothing, with most of it being thrown out. 

“Fast fashion,” a design, manufacturing and marketing method that focuses on rapidly producing high volumes of clothing, is a reason why most clothing and textiles wind up in the garbage. It includes replicating trends, competitive pricing and high style turnover, explained Jennifer Wright, professor of Fashion Design at Fanshawe College. 

“Retailers that sell fast fashion offer new fashion styles every two weeks, or 26 times a year,” she said. “Fast Fashion is designed and produced to be worn less than 10 times before it’s discarded because of its poor quality or because it’s quickly out of style.”

As part of the project, Fanshawe students – Victoria Sutherland, a recent graduate from the Fashion Design program, Khalid Alfkey , a third-year student from the Honours Bachelor of Applied Technology – Biotechnology program and Liz Lee, a fourth-year Honours Bachelor of Applied Technology – Biotechnology student – are playing important roles.

Lee’s excited about getting more people interested in donating their textiles and she will triage them when they arrive, checking each item carefully to assess its condition for resale, upcycling or recycling. 

Donated items deemed reusable can be purchased at Goodwill stores, while recoverable items will support recycling initiatives, including mechanical, chemical and thermal recycling pilot projects. 

“We work with research and industry partners to take unsellable textiles and produce new products through innovations like automotive insulation, or as feedstock for commercial and industrial projects,’ said Bev Kobe, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes. “We’re transforming waste into opportunity and building a more sustainable London."

Reusable textiles are clothing, fabric and textiles that can be used multiple times either for their original purpose or in a new way; recoverable textiles are clothing, fabrics and textiles that are no longer usable in their current format but can be reclaimed, processed or transformed into other products or new materials instead of being discarded as waste.

“Donating both reusable and recoverable textiles helps to keep a resource out of our landfill, supports local jobs and is a climate action that many people can take,” said Jay Stanford, director, Climate Change, Environment and Waste Management, City of London.
For students like Lee, participation allows her to put her biotechnology and sustainability knowledge into practice by using her teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.

“It’s inspiring to see the community come together around a common cause, and I’m excited to continue learning as the project progresses,” Lee said.

Residents can donate their lightly used clothing and end-of-life textiles items at the Goodwill Donation Centre located at the Goodwill Donation Centre (1570 Oxford St. W.), located next to the City of London Oxford Street EnviroDepot.