It might not sound like an enormous amount at first. But when you multiply it across millions of people, the scale of the UK's unwanted clothing problem becomes much clearer.
Research from WRAP estimates that the average person in the UK throws around 35 items of unwanted clothing into general waste each year.
In fact, almost half of the UK's used textiles end up in general waste.
But what if we stopped looking at unwanted clothes as rubbish and started looking at what they could become instead?
Most of us have clothes we no longer wear.
The jeans that don't quite fit anymore. The jumper that's been replaced by a newer favourite. Children's clothes that have been outgrown. The coat that's spent the last two winters untouched at the back of the wardrobe.
Individually, these items can seem insignificant.
Put them together across an entire school, charity, workplace or local community, however, and suddenly you've got thousands of items of clothing with the potential to create a much bigger impact.
That's exactly where textile fundraising comes in.
Through a Fundraise & Recycle Clothes Bank, communities can donate their unwanted clothing while helping generate funds for the organisation hosting the bank.
For the person donating, there's no need to hand over cash.
They're simply taking something they no longer need and giving it another purpose.
For the organisation, those individual donations gradually add up. The more kilograms of clothing collected, the greater the fundraising opportunity becomes.
We've seen the impact this can have across our own network.
West View Primary has raised £5,500 towards its playground refurbishment, while Ribbon Academy has generated more than £6,700 towards its student enrichment programme.
The Box Youth Project has also raised £2,000 towards its community activities.
Those figures demonstrate why one bag of unwanted clothing should never be underestimated.
Imagine one family clearing out their wardrobe and donating a bag of unwanted clothes.
Now imagine 100 families doing it.
Or an entire school.
Or a whole community.
That's when a simple wardrobe clear-out becomes something much more powerful.
It's also why making textile recycling convenient matters. When people have an accessible Clothes Bank nearby, donating unwanted clothing becomes an easy action that can be repeated throughout the year.
No fundraising event needs to be organised every time. No tickets need to be sold. And supporters don't need to be continually asked for money.
The opportunity is already sitting inside their wardrobes.
Changing the way we deal with unwanted clothing doesn't need to be complicated.
The next time you're clearing out your wardrobe, instead of automatically putting unwanted clothes into general waste, consider whether they could still have value elsewhere.
That old jumper could contribute towards new resources for a school.
Those unwanted jeans could help support activities at a youth project.
A few bags from your wardrobe could become part of thousands of pounds raised by a local charity or community organisation.
One person's clear-out might feel small. An entire community doing it together can make a significant difference.
So, before you bin it, ask yourself one simple question:
What else could these clothes become?
