Currently, social service organizations recover textiles through voluntary donations. This can be compared to the recovery of waste paper before municipal collection programs were started. There are over 150 grades of textiles altogether, but one processor doesn't necessarily handle all grades. There are three major types of end products made from processed textiles. The first is used clothing.
Buyers are approximately equal between the domestic market and the export market.
Textile grades for used clothing make up the largest fraction of the 150 grades in use. These grades may include many colors, styles and sizes, while other grades may specify clothing for males or females, for children or adults, etc. The second category of end products is fiber for paper, coarse yarn and padding. Other textile grades are mixed by color and fabric and used to pad upholstery, carpet and automobile interiors where the differences don't matter. The final category of end products is industrial wiping and polishing cloths.