What is Trash to Treasure?
Trash to Treasure is a circular fashion initiative started in 2005 that keeps clothes out of the landfill by reusing or rehoming textiles, simultaneously providing affordable fashion to the UT community.
we operate donation drives throughout the year by bringing donation bins to each of the residence halls, collecting what is donated, and sorting what we receive into different categories of reuse.
The items that are in the best condition are resold to UT faculty, staff, and students through our pop-up thrifts sales hosted occasionally throughout each semester, where we prioritize accessibility. Everything is sold for $1!
Other items that do not meet the standards for what is resold and can be recycled in our new Making Amends initiative or finds a future home through other recycling methods, charities, or non-profits.
The proceeds of our sales go back to support the Campus Environmental Center and the environmental projects that it supports.
Three-Fold Benefits
- We divert thousands of pounds from the waste stream annually
- We supply the campus community with inexpensive goods for reuse, such as clothing, electronics, home goods, and office supplies
- We raise funds to support environmental programs at UT Austin
Making Amends
The Making Amends workshops are an upcycling initiative under the Trash to Treasure project that creates a collaborative approach to upcycling in the UT community. Making Amends hosts in-person workshops and provides students with the materials and knowledge to learn how to upcycle pre-loved clothing.
Follow our Instagram to keep an eye out for the next one!
More on Sustainability
The Trash to Treasure content team publishes blog posts for the CEC Green Voices Blog. You can read those posts and more on sustainability HERE.
Campus Environmental Center 