Brookline residents can drop off unwanted clothing, linens and accessories at Town Hall starting Monday, Nov. 16, as the Department of Public Works (DPW) runs its third annual textile recovery drive.
The weeklong collection runs through Friday, Nov. 20, at 333 Washington St., according to the town's event calendar. Drop-off hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday. Donations go in the Town Hall lobby.
All items must be clean, dry and placed in plastic bags before drop-off.
The drive accepts clothing, shoes, household textiles and accessories. The DPW asks residents and town staff to bring anything they no longer need so the items can be donated or recycled rather than thrown away.
Growing year over year
The event has grown since its debut. The DPW held its first Town Hall clothing drive in August 2024 and a second in November 2025, according to the town's administrator newsletters. That second drive collected more than 4,750 pounds of clothing, shoes, bags, blankets and other items, filling more than 15 large collection bins.
The drives reflect a statewide push. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) banned textiles from household trash starting Nov. 1, 2022, as part of its goal to cut disposal by 30 percent over a decade. Brookline residents cannot put unwanted clothing or household textiles in their regular trash collection.
Permanent textile drop-off bins are also available year-round at 815 Newton St. for residents who miss the Town Hall drive window.
Upcoming community dates
- Nov. 16–20 — Town Hall Clothing Drive, 333 Washington St., lobby, business hours
