Once you’ve got your textiles boxed and ready to be collected, simply email us with your name, the number of boxes you have to be collected and your collection address. From there we’ll be able to determine which courier to utilise to facilitate the collection of your old textiles. The courier we select for your collection depends on your selections at checkout: the weight and number of boxes you have to collect, as well as your location.

To reduce waste and emissions we don’t send you anything to collect your items in. Your textiles can be packaged into ANY type of box (no larger than check-in luggage) — a food delivery box, grocery box or moving box would work! You can also pack your items into a durable bag or satchel.

As a reference, the package should be approximately 46cm x 41cm x 42cm, however, it doesn’t have to be these dimensions exactly!

Please note: The courier cannot collect garbage bags.

Check out our suggested packaging video below for ideas!

Unfortunately not. We don’t currently have the resources, infrastructure or team to manage drop-offs from the public. We’ll be sure to let our community know if this changes in the future, but for now you can organise a contactless-collection HERE.

Currently 65% of items that UPPAREL is receiving are in new or fit-for-wear condition and are prepared to be passed onto our epic Australian partners; Save The Children, Sacred Heart Mission, Ready Set Australia, St Kilda Mums and Good360 Australia! The remaining 35% are assessed for their suitability to be up-cycled into new items or recycled into new materials.

Environmentally it is best to reuse items wherever possible, so we’ll always try to reuse or repair shoes if we can! If we cannot reuse them then their materials can be of use in many ways — rubber can be shredded and developed into new products or track surfaces, basketball courts and playgrounds. Their soles can also be used to create soles for fresh shoes!

Once the textiles are sorted and identified as suitable for recycling, they are first decommissioned to remove all hardware such as buttons and zips that may contaminate the final recycled product. From there, the textiles are broken down into fine fluffy fibre through a unique mechanical process. This fluffy fibre can then be utilised as is, or compressed and used as home insulation, office partitions, couch cushions, pet beds, acoustic panelling, and so much more! Additionally, this recycled product is also completely circular. So once it reaches the end of its life, it can be thrown straight back into the recycling process and given a new life!

We offer contactless collections Australia-wide! Customers will be provided with a link through the collection confirmation email to schedule their collection for a date that suits them best.

Please note — couriers do not collect on weekends. If you live in an apartment building and do not have a safe place to leave your items, reach out via hello@upparel.com.au for assistance.

Great question! The recycling fee helps to contribute towards a number of the costs involved in operating a textile recycling initiative. There are the costs associated with transporting and storing items, separating them, sorting them based on their second life use and preparing new or fit-for-wear items to be distributed to our epic Australian partners; Save The Children, Sacred Heart Mission, Ready Set Australia, St Kilda Mums and Good360 Australia! Not to mention the expenses involved with our specialised recycling process.

These costs add up quickly, which may be the reason so few retailers are engaging in on-shore textile recycling initiatives. As an independent business without any government funding, the $35 collection fee is really important in contributing towards these costs and supporting our mission as a small Australian start-up to keep textiles out of landfill and create a circular life cycle for the products we manufacture.

A $25 credit is only issued for your first collection. Each subsequent collection that you purchase will not qualify for an additional store credit.

Your credit is valid for 30 days from the date of issue and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount.

Approximately a third of all the garments produced around the world never leave the shop floor. But where do they all end up? Globally, 87% of all disposed textiles are sent to landfill or incinerated; 12% is mechanically recycled by cutting it or shredding it into fibre, insulation material or rags; and less than 1% is chemically recycled back to reusable raw materials. The effects that textiles have on the planet prove that the linear economy model of take, make and dispose is completely unsustainable.

Currently 65% of items that UPPAREL is receiving are in new or fit-for-wear condition and are prepared to be passed onto our epic Australian partners; Save The Children, Sacred Heart Mission, Ready Set Australia, St Kilda Mums and Good360 Australia! The remaining 35% are assessed for their suitability to be up-cycled into new items or recycled into new materials.

To find out more about their ‘UP philosophy’ click here.