ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Stateline residents are cleaning out their closets for a good cause.

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful’s annual “Spring Clothing Drive” was held on Saturday. There were five locations around the Rockford area where people could drop of clothes, bedding, purses, belts and even soft-sided luggage.

The unwanted textiles reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Clean clothing was sorted by Goodwill staff to be distributed to stores, but stained lines and holey t-shirts will be taken to be shredded and recycled into carpet padding and insulation.

“People are very grateful and they often say, ‘thank you for taking this. I didn’t know what to do with it, but I don’t want to throw it away,'” said Cecile Flowers, volunteer with Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful. “And, it also gives you a chance to start going through your closets and pulling out the things you don’t wear anymore.”

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful has two locations that accept recyclables for residents who could not make it out on Saturday:

• 4665 Hydraulic Road: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. Tuesdays
• 8409 N. Second Street: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. Tuesdays