They sell usable clothing, but send soiled or scrap textiles to be shredded as filler and insulation. Cut the headrail and bottom rail off of the fabric and take it to a clothing donation bin or Salvation Army. However, polyester fabrics can be shredded and reused as batting for quilts and filler for homes and cars. The technology does not currently exist to “melt down” the fabric back into other usable items and recycle them over and over again. How to Recycle Cellular ShadesĬell shades are made with a plastic headrail, metal components and 100% polyester fabric. Some polyester fabric is made from recycled materials like plastic bottles, but their recycling is not a closed loop process. However, if your fabric is wet, mildewed or has been exposed to something hazardous, it’s better to just throw it away. Many houses and cars are insulated with a large percentage of fabric scraps. Resale stores like Goodwill send off fabric scraps and clothing that can’t be sold to factories that turn the fabric into industrial rags and insulation material. The fabric can be taken to a clothing donation location like Goodwill, or used around the house for a sewing or decor project. Metal hardware can be recycled at a local drop off center. Use scissors to cut the fabric away from any hardware or cords. Higher end window coverings are almost always in demand.īut if your shades are torn or broken you can take them apart to be recycled. The first choice should always be to give them to a friend or donate them. If they’re broken, you could turn the slats into a sunburst mirror.Īny fabric window coverings are a cinch to recycle. If your blinds are in good condition, we suggest that you donate them. Use slats to make a herringbone finish dresser like this one.įaux wood blinds are made with a mixture of PVC and recycled hardwood which unfortunately cannot be recycled again. If you’re not sure what to do with broken wood blinds here are a few ideas: Cut the slats into smaller pieces and make garden makers. If someone else can reuse your blinds as they are, it’s more eco friendly than using the energy it would take to turn them into something else. Our best suggestion is to donate any wood blinds you don’t want. Recycling centers and construction resale stores accept cut limbs or leftover lumber pieces, but wood blinds don’t fit the bill. How to Recycle Wood BlindsĪny wood that is painted or treated cannot be recycled. If your local scrap yard won’t accept them, try these ideas for how to reuse aluminum blinds around the house. Remove any components you can from the metal headrail and recycle it as well. Cut the lift cords and ladder cords to free each slat. Many scrap metal yards and recycling centers won’t accept full blinds, only the aluminum, steel or vinyl parts. Hosing them down is a quick and easy way to get this done. You can check the Vinyl Institute’s directory to find a drop of location near you.īefore you load your car, clean the blinds thoroughly. If you have vinyl mini blinds, check to see if your recycling center accepts PVC or vinyl. How to Recycle Mini BlindsĪluminum blinds are made with 100% recyclable aluminum and can be taken to any scrap metal yard, or recycling center. “Recycling” is one of those words that has many definitions. We can “recycle” our window coverings by repurposing them or donating them although only a few kinds of blinds can truly be recycled and turned into other usable items. Nearly every major city’s waste services website site has window blinds on the do-not-recycle list along with light bulbs, mattresses, appliances and other odd-ball items. Some websites say to take them to the local recycling center, but if you try this, you’ll probably be turned away. Like us, you may have googled “How To Recycle Blinds” and come up with lots of conflicting answers. After replacing a house full of old worn out blinds, what do you do with the old ones? I don’t know about you, but we would feel pretty wasteful sending 20 + blinds straight to the landfill. There has to be another way! How To Recycle Blinds
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