PEOPLE are being encouraged to spring clean their wardrobes and help a new recycling drive this month.

A pilot scheme across Kirklees aims to get householders involved in the textile trial.

More than 20,000 homes, who are already on the green bin recycling rounds are being selected to take part.

They will receive four orange textile sacks and an information leaflet telling them how the scheme will work.

Clean and dry textiles will be recycled by placing them in the orange sacks and then into the green bin. The sacks will be taken to the sorting plant in Emerald Street, Huddersfield.

They will then be processed by a Mirfield recycling company where the material will be shredded and used to make mattresses.

Clr Ann Denham, who has cabinet responsibility for the environment and highways on Kirklees Council, said: "A recent survey showed that in the UK between 550,000 and 900,000 tonnes of textiles ended up in our rubbish bins each year.

"By running this textile trial we hope to reduce the amount of recyclables in the refuse and help Kirklees meet the recycling target of 21% for 2005/6, set by the Government."

The trial aims to provide a convenient doorstep collection to encourage residents to recycle some materials which cannot be re-used as clothing.

People taking part in the trial are encouraged to still recycle good-quality clothing which can be worn again to textile banks or charity shops.

Residents not selected for the scheme should not use their green bins for recycling textiles and bags of textiles left at the side of green bins will not be collected.