Many people don't know what to do with their old clothes. Some give them to charity, others get them repaired — but what about clothes that can't be repaired? These clothes usually end up in the garbage. A 2017 report estimated that 83 million metric tons of clothes and shoes were thrown away in 2015, and this could increase to over 130 million metric tons by 2030. Clothes are difficult to recycle because they're often made up of different components. Even a T-shirt that's 100% cotton may still have labels and threads made from other materials like polyester. Separating those materials isn't easy, making any piece of clothing difficult to recycle. But researchers at the University of Delaware believe they've found a new way to recycle blended fabrics, and it only takes 15 minutes. They developed a process using chemicals and microwaves to break down polyester and spandex while leaving cotton and nylon intact. The nylon is then dissolved off the cotton using a simple solvent. The broken down and dissolved components are then collected, and can be used to make polyester, spandex and nylon again. And while the remaining cotton isn't high quality, the researchers say it could be mixed with new cotton to make stronger recycled yarn, for example. Erha Andini, who led the study, told The Washington Post that clothes companies aren't always clear about what's in their clothes. But a process like this can be used even if you don't know what your clothing is made from. However, the researchers say it could be some time before their process is used on a large scale. And Tasha Lewis from Ohio State University — who wasn't part of the research — told The Washington Post that while processes like this are good, they should be used as a last resort. She said it's cheaper and simpler to just buy used clothes. She added that companies should also make clothes that last longer, and make them out of one type of fabric so they're easier to recycle.