---
title: "Where do Shoes and trainers go? Donate or reuse"
description: "Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin. Why that route, what goes wrong on the wrong one, and how to prepare it."
url: https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/shoes/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Where do Shoes and trainers go?

**Where do Shoes and trainers go?: Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin.**

Donate or reuse

Shoes are reused far more than they are recycled: wearable pairs are sold or distributed, and worn ones are stripped for rubber and textile. The single thing that decides whether a pair is usable is whether it arrives as a pair — banks are full of single shoes that are worth nothing. Tie the laces together or band them. Some manufacturers run take-back schemes that grind trainers into playground and track surfacing. A few councils collect shoes in a kerbside textile sack, so check your local scheme before making a trip.

## How to prepare it

1. Tie or band each pair together before it goes in the bag.
2. Knock the mud off and let them dry.
3. Check for a manufacturer take-back scheme for worn-out trainers.

## What not to do

- Never donate odd shoes loose; unpaired shoes are waste.
- Never put shoes in the kerbside recycling bin.

> Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

## Other things that go to donate or reuse

- [Clothes and textiles](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/textiles/) — Wearable: charity shop or clothing bank. Worn out: still the textile bank — damaged clothes are sorted for fibre and rag, not landfill.
- [Furniture (sofas, wardrobes, tables)](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/furniture/) — Reuse first — charities collect free. Otherwise a bulky collection or the household waste centre.
- [Duvets and pillows](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/duvets-pillows/) — Not the textile bank. Animal shelters take clean ones; otherwise household waste centre or general waste.
- [Books](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/books/) — Charity shop, book bank or a street library. Paperbacks are recyclable as paper; hardbacks need the boards removing.
- [CDs, DVDs and cases](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/cds-dvds/) — Not kerbside recyclable. Donate playable discs; the polycarbonate needs a specialist and the cases are usually accepted separately.
- [Spectacles](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/spectacles/) — Opticians and charity collection boxes. Frames are reused, not shredded.
- [Wine corks](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/cork/) — Natural cork composts and there are collection schemes for it. Plastic "corks" go in general waste.

## Common questions

### Where do Shoes and trainers go?

Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin.

### What happens if you put Shoes and trainers in the wrong bin?

Never donate odd shoes loose; unpaired shoes are waste. Never put shoes in the kerbside recycling bin.

## Related pages

- [Where do Clothes and textiles go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/textiles/)
- [Where do Furniture (sofas, wardrobes, tables) go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/furniture/)
- [Where do Duvets and pillows go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/duvets-pillows/)
- [Where do Books go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/books/)
- [Where do CDs, DVDs and cases go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/cds-dvds/)
- [Where do Spectacles go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/spectacles/)
- [Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/batteries/)
- [Where do Lithium-ion batteries go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/lithium-batteries/)
- [Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/vapes/)
- [Where do Medicines and tablets go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/medicines/)
- [Where do Pizza boxes go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/pizza-boxes/)
- [Where do Leftover wet paint go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/paint-wet/)

## Sources

- US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (https://www.epa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]