What to Do With Old Bras, According to The New Yorker (and Us)
New Yorker: A Guide to Getting Rid of Almost Everything, By Patricia Marx
Hey everyone!
If you've got a drawer full of bras you don't wear anymore and no idea what to do with them, you're in good company; it's one of the most common decluttering questions out there. Here's the short version: don't toss them in the trash. Recycle them. The New Yorker actually pointed readers our way as the answer, and we're going to walk you through exactly how it works.
How The New Yorker Found Us
A few years back, writer Patricia Marx set out to declutter her entire life for a piece called "A Guide to Getting Rid of Almost Everything." She tried selling things online, donating to thrift shops, and tracking down specialty organizations that take items regular charities won't, like art supplies, old mascara wands, and, yes, bras. That's where The Bra Recyclers came in. We were so honored to be named in a national publication for doing exactly what we set out to do back in 2008: give bras a second life instead of a landfill.
We'll be honest, though: the bigger story here isn't really about us. It's about a question millions of people quietly Google every year and never quite get a satisfying answer to.
Why You Can't Just Donate Bras Like Other Clothes
Here's something most people don't know until they try it: most thrift stores won't take bras. The wires, hooks, and mixed materials make them hard to resell or repurpose, so they often end up in the landfill, even when you drop them off with the best intentions.
And bras aren't a small problem. The EPA estimates that Americans generate around 17 million tons of textile waste every single year, and the vast majority of it, somewhere around 85%, ends up landfilled or incinerated instead of recycled. That's not a "someone else's problem" statistic. That's drawers, closets, and donation bags all over the country.
The good news? Bras are one of the easiest things to keep out of that pile, once you know where to send it.
How to Recycle Your Old Bras Today
You don't need a special trip or a complicated process. Here's all it takes:
Gather up your bras. Gently used or new condition, any brand, any size.
Choose how to send them. Mail your bras straight to us, or find a drop-off location near you from one of our Ambassador retail partners.
Earn a little something back. When you drop off through one of our Ambassadors, you'll often earn a discount on your next purchase there. It's their way of saying thanks for keeping bras out of the landfill.
Quick Answers (FAQ)
What condition do my bras need to be in to recycle them?
Gently used or new, any size. As long as they're in wearable condition, we can find them a second life.
Does The Bra Recyclers break bras down into new materials?
Mostly, no, and that's by design. True fiber-to-fiber recycling remains difficult with current technology, so our focus stays on reuse. Most bras that come in get a second life through our nonprofit partner network, or through other textile recyclers and clothing exporters we work with.
Is bra recycling free?
Dropping off your bras with one of our Ambassador retail partners is completely free, and often earns you a discount on your next purchase there. If you'd rather mail your bras to us directly, you'll just cover the shipping cost.
Where can I recycle bras near me?
Check our Ambassador locator to find a drop-off point close to you, or use our mail-in program if you don't have one nearby.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and even more for being the kind of person who'd rather recycle than toss. If you've got old bras sitting around, now's the moment: gather them up and find your nearest drop-off point.
And remember, dignity starts with feeling good undie-neath.
Source: U.S. EPA, "Textiles: Material-Specific Data," 2026.
