Hampshire County Council has been honoured with a medal for its decade-long clothing recycling partnership with The Salvation Army.

Large quantities of clothing are still sent to landfill, but the County Council’s efforts, as part of Project Integra, have helped The Salvation Army become the UK’s number one textile recycler.

The partnership benefits the County Council as it foots the bill for the disposal of Hampshire’s waste. Anything that can be reused or recycled saves money as it does not have to be landfilled.

The Salvation Army sorts the clothing, shoes and other textiles, and sends them to be sold overseas, including in Africa, the Indian subcontinent and eastern Europe.

Councillor Tim Knight accepted the medal on behalf of the County Council. Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Keith Estlin, said: "We’re very pleased to support the work of The Salvation Army, and delighted to accept a medal to mark our successful partnership.

"Textile recycling is very important, and there is a great demand for our unwanted garments overseas. I encourage even more people to donate unwanted clothing and shoes to Hampshire’s clothing banks, to save them from going to landfill, and to support a very worthy cause."

Garth Ward, National Recycling Co-ordinator for The Salvation Army, added: "None of this would have happened without the generosity of those who live in Hampshire, and the co-operation and support of the County Council. It has been an extremely rewarding partnership, and the medal is a token of our thanks – and hopefully a means to encourage even more people to recycle their unwanted clothes."

Clean clothes, shoes in pairs, handbags, belts, sheets, towels, blankets, textiles, and household linen should be put in plastic bags and placed in one of the clothing banks throughout the county. For location details, contact your district council recycling officer or visit www.integra.org.uk/recycling/.