Recycle Your Old Curtains and Tap Shoes at the Broadway Green Alliance's Fall Textile Drive
The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA), in partnership with the Wearable Collections clothing-recycling company, is sponsoring a textile drive on Wednesday, October 23, for fans and members of the theater community. The event will take place in Duffy Square at 46th Street and Broadway from 11am-1:30pm, where patrons and performers alike can donate materials on their way to their Wednesday matinees. The drive will accept all used and clean clothing, including shoes, handbags, belts, and hats, as well as household and backstage items such as curtains, linens, and towels. (Carpeting will not be accepted.)
Wearable Collections will repurpose or recycle 96 percent of all donations received at the drive and will donate a portion of the proceeds to BGA to facilitate its goal of making New York theater a greener industry. Thus far, its collection efforts have yielded 1,750 pounds of donated material. Receipts will not be distributed at the drive, but the IRS will allow donators to claim up to $500 worth of clothing donations without a receipt.
"At BGA we want to give members of the theater community the opportunity to keep tons of used costumes, towels, sheets, and other textiles out of landfills," says BGA coordinator Rebekah Sale. "This year we have partnered again with Wearable Collections, a company that in 2012 diverted 2 million pounds of textiles. With their help, we are continuing to keep Broadway green."
Those unable to attend can drop off their textiles at one of three locations during regular business hours: TWU Local 764 at 545 West 45th Street, Actors' Equity Association at 1560 Broadway (14th Floor), or Local 802 AFM at 322 West 48th Street.
