Old towels can be recycled with other waste textiles, fabrics, and clothes since they share similar fibres. Make sure they are clean and dry before recycling to prevent contamination. If not, place them in a textile recycling bin where they will undergo the same recycling process as other textile materials.

On the other hand, old paper towels usually go into general waste. This is because their fibres are too small to be recycled effectively. Moreover, used paper towels often contain moisture and contaminants, making them unsuitable for mixed dry recycling.