At the start of 2019, Netflix debuted Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, which quickly became a hit show and part of a general movement to declutter, tidy up and surround oneself with things that "sparked joy." Cleaning and decluttering – whether using the Maria Kondo approach or not – has become such a mainstay of our lives the past few pandemic (and now) post-pandemic years. But let's take this a step further and talk about how, in cleaning out our hijabs, we can repurpose them or recycle them responsibly and with the intention to not be wasteful.

I had heard of Marie Kondo and her KonMari method before, but having not read her book yet, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when I first watched her Netflix show.

Long story short, dear reader, I finished the whole series in less than three days (don’t judge). Kondo’s effervescent spirit and sensitive yet no-nonsense approach to clutter was a breath of fresh air! And her method is clearly contagious, already inspiring thousands of people to take to their own closets, garages and kitchens in hopes that a cleaner, more peaceful space will help them live less chaotic, more mindful lives.

Spoiler alert – I am one of these people, and last year I ended up going through my whole apartment.

Sustainability and environmentally-friendly fashion is something that’s close to my heart on a personal level and important to Haute Hijab – I care about social and environmental justice, and I know that means I need to do my part. When I was doing my own cleaning and looked at my literal mountain of clothes (Kondo insists you pile every item of clothing you own into one place, which I now viscerally understand is for maximum emotional impact) I was reminded a very important fact.

How you get rid of a thing can be just as important as how you got that thing in the first place.

Being good stewards of our resources is a value that we should all hold dear to our hearts. Like many items in our closets, it can be tempting to just toss out hijabs once they’re too worn or we’ve simply stopped wearing them. Thankfully, though, there are so many simple ways to clean out our spaces more mindfully. So step awaaaay from that trash can and consider these options first:

1. Invite your family and friends to go “shopping” – or start a hijab exchange! One woman’s trash could be another woman’s new favorite – so, if you have gently used but still wearable hijabs that you can’t bear to throw away, don’t! Make a pile and let your besties/sister/daughter/mom take their pick! Once you and your friends/family have decided what each other wants, wash and clean those hijabs and pack it away in clean packaging to be donated!

2. Donate them to a charity that needs them. From Muslim women’s shelters to grassroots refugee assistance organizations, there are tons of places you can donate to that will gladly accept hijab donations. If they don’t use them as hijabs, they can be repurposed as neck scarves or in many other ways.

Just remember that you should only donate hijabs that are in very good condition – like new. They should be washed, pressed and folded nicely. Sorry to be harsh – but no organization wants to receive a grocery or garbage full of crumpled hijabs.

If you have anything that’s just too threadbare to donate or has rips or stains that make it unwearable, try donating them to art programs in local schools! I used to teach art classes and was constantly looking for scrap fabric that my students could turn into projects, especially these days when education budgets are so tight. Google schools and art centers in your area, send a few emails and see where else your unwanted hijabs could spark joy for budding artists :)

Again, the key is to decide what you can donate, wash and clean those hijabs, pack them nicely (clearly labeled) and do a little research to see where you can donate them. Yes, this requires work on your part, but it's worth it to successfully rehome those hijabs in ways that, Insha'Allah, will benefit someone else.

3. Speaking of projects … you too can get creative! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought things because I fell in love with a particular color or print, but for whatever reason it never really made it into my actual clothing rotation. So I turned it into a pillowcase or blouse. Even if you find you’re not using it exactly as intended, it doesn’t mean it can’t add a lively touch to your home!

Maybe there’s a print you adore but don’t have anything to match it with – you can easily turn it into a kimono with this quick pattern. Or this one! Worn-out jersey hijabs can be torn into strips and braided into a headband for spa night or even coiled into a rag rug. Or if breaking out the scissors doesn’t appeal to you, you can always get creative with using them as-is – as we speak, my kitchen curtains are tied back with one of my favorite printed hijabs :) Flex your creative muscles and get crafty :)

4. Consign them and score some cash! Try visiting some of the thrift and consignment stories in your area, like Buffalo Exchange, to see if they'd like to buy your hijabs.

For me, if I’m willing to consign it, the next step would be donating anyway, so I go for it. (Disclaimer – this isn’t sponsored, I’ve just done it a few times when they had a mail-in option, which unfortunately they no longer have. But do try selling to thrift stories in your area if they accept clothing and accessories.)

5. Recycle – don’t trash – unusable hijabs and clothing. Do a Google search on clothing recycling in your city, as some places have public initiatives that are dedicated to gathering up unwanted clothes and textiles and either reselling, upcycling or responsibly recycling them. Some clothing retailers – like H&M, Uniqlo, North Face and others – will not only take your unwearable clothing and textiles off your hands, they’ll reward you for recycling with a discount you could use on a new purchase. While it’s important to do your own research, I certainly applaud meaningful steps that companies like this have taken to improve sustainability and encourage better practices among their customers as well!

If we can buy our hijabs with the intentions to recycle them responsibly when we're ready to get something new, I know it will be better for all of us.