Locals have diverted about 3000kg of textiles from landfill in less than 18 months.

Textile recycling through the Forbes Recycling and Waste Depot continues to be well-supported with strong participation reflected in ongoing collection volumes, a report to Forbes Shire Council's most recent meeting said.

On average, 250kgs of textiles are collected per pick up from the Forbes depot, the report said, with approximately 3,000kgs of textile items diverted from landfill since the program opened in December 2024.

While residents are still encouraged to donate textiles to local op shops, the program keeps items not suitable for an op shop, such as damaged clothes, out of landfill.

In launching the program, Forbes Shire Council explained that good quality items would be donated to charities, op shops and shelters to be reused, while items that cannot be reused are recycled and made into items such as blankets, throws, caravan and outdoor mats.

Others can be repurposed and donated to the RSPCA, arts and crafts stores for off-cut material to be used, or made into industrial rags.

All clothing (including damaged items), shoes and boots, blankets, towels, backpacks, handbags and material offcuts can be placed in the textile recycling bins at the Forbes Waste and Recycling Depot.

The initiative has also expanded, with the Salvation Army Forbes now partnering in the program and RRR undertaking direct collections from the store.

The success of Forbes' partnership with with Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle (RRR) was recently showcased to other NetWaste councils, several of which are now exploring the introduction of a regional “milk run” model.