If the winter clothes you’ve got down from the loft don’t fit anymore or you’re upgrading your Christmas jumper, don’t just put them in the bin!

Anyone sorting through their winter clothing is being reminded they can make use of the kerbside collections in Conwy County, to help clothes find new homes rather than ending up in the bin.

Local social enterprise Crest Cooperative has been working with Conwy County Borough Council for 18 years to improve recycling rates and keep unwanted items out of landfill.

Residents can recycle clothing every fortnight in purple bags as part of the Council’s kerbside recycling collections.

“Working with Crest to help residents pass on their unwanted clothing makes a lot of sense,” says Cllr Greg Robbins, Conwy County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transportation. “It takes a lot of energy and water to produce clothing – so by reusing, we’re protecting the planet’s resources.”

Crest collects around 14 tonnes of unwanted clothing and textiles from Conwy households every month. Typically the social enterprise is able to re-use 93% and recycle 7%, with nothing going to landfill.

“Our Adults with Physical & Learning Disabilities Team sort, launder and press the clothes. We then donate clothing to homeless charities, and also put items on sale in our shops in Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction,” explains Rod Williams, General Operations Manager at Crest.

“Winter clothes find new homes, keeping costs down for families on small budgets and helping those most in need.”

The shops also give volunteering opportunities to local people who need a helping hand to gain work experience or increase their confidence. Volunteering can lead on to full-time employment or education, and helps improve the volunteers’ lives as well as their communities.

Rod Williams says, “Donating your pre-loved clothes helps provide local employment, and valuable work experience for adults with learning and physical disabilities.

Crest rely on the generosity of Conwy residents to help us sustain long term local employment which has social and environmental benefits.