How Recycled Rags Keep Thousands of Pounds Out of Landfills Every Year


Every Pound Counts

Every year, millions of pounds of used clothing end up in Canadian landfills. Much of it—especially cotton, fleece, and denim - is still perfectly usable. At Toronto Rags, we’re turning that textile waste into value by producing industrial-grade wiper rags that keep clothing out of the garbage and in the hands of hardworking tradespeople.

What Makes a Rag “Recyclable”?

We focus on high-absorbency materials:

  • 100% cotton t-shirts

  • Cotton fleece

  • Denim

  • Sheeting fabric

These materials soak up grease, oil, and dirt better than synthetic cloths—and they biodegrade over time, unlike polyester or microfiber.

What Happens to the Clothing We Collect

Not all used textiles become wipers. Here’s our basic sorting process:

  1. Clothing arrives in large unsorted bales.

  2. We sort by fabric type, colour, and condition.

  3. Anything highly absorbent gets selected for cutting.

  4. Non-wiper-grade materials are rerouted to other textile recycling streams or responsibly discarded.

In 2024, Toronto Rags processed over 13 million pounds of used clothing. Roughly 10% of that — more than 1.3 million pounds — was repurposed into high-quality shop rags.

That’s equivalent to giving over 6.5 million t-shirts a second life, keeping absorbent fabric out of landfills and putting it back to work in garages, shops, and job sites across the country.

Why It Matters

Landfills are overloaded. Textile waste is one of the fastest-growing categories.
When you choose recycled rags, you support a cleaner, more responsible supply chain—and get a dependable, high-performing product at the same time.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Order your first box of rags today and join hundreds of Canadian businesses keeping fabric in use and out of the trash.

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