What is the Correct Spelling Baling Wire or Bailing Wire?

The correct spelling is baling wire, although if you search for bailing wire online, you'll get near enough the same results. This is because the two spellings have become somewhat (incorrectly) interchangeable, and many companies still refer to it as bailing wire. Baling and bailing are known as homophones, two words that have separate meanings, yet they sound exactly the same. Bear in mind, however, that currently, Google will suggest the correction of baling wire if you search instead for bailing wire. There is also no difference in the product that the words are describing, so one type of wire will not differ in function from another simply because of the name. The term bailing usually refers to either the releasing of a prisoner on bail, bailing out a bank or an institution (providing it with money to keep it afloat), or to leaving an area (informally). Baling, on the other hand, often refers to the bundling of goods, the primary function of what baling wire is used for. As a noun, a bale describes a tightly packed bundle of materials like hay, cardboard, or scrap metal. To find out more, you can check out this blog post on bailing wire vs baling wire.

Do You Have a Wire Gauge Chart to Choose the Correct Size?

Gauge refers to the thickness of a wire. Gauges operate on an inverse scale, which means the smaller the gauge number, the larger the circumference of the wire. Typically, baling wire starts at around 9 gauge, and can go all the way up to the incredibly thin 35-gauge variety. Choosing the right type of baling wire can be tough if you don’t know what to look for, yet it’s essential if you want to ensure maximum quality and functionality. You can find a reliable wire gauge chart by clicking here. You can find a wide range of different gauge baling wire online, but if you’re not sure which one will work best, don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer of your baling machine; they should be able to give you advice on which size go for. For paper, it’s worth going for a lighter gauge, like a 14, but for tougher materials like plastics, you’ll probably need to go as low as 12. It’s worth noting that the properties of the wire can differ based on whether they’re galvanized or annealed, even if they’re the same gauge. Remember that it’s crucial to check your baler’s specifications before you start using the wire, as it may have limitations as to what gauge you can use.

Which Wire is Best for Cardboard Baling?

Generally, you'll want to use either an 11, 12, or 13 gauge wire for baling cardboard. The 11 gauge wire is the thickest and, therefore, more suited to packing denser bales. It is important to consider your baler, however, as this will likely determine the type of wire that you'll need. This can differ between make and model, and there will likely be a users manual that will have the right info. If not, you could always call up the manufacturer and ask them directly. You wouldn't want to risk damaging your baler by using the wrong materials with it. For example, a smaller vertical baler that generates smaller bales may need a smaller gauge, like a 14. In contrast, a horizontal baler that operates at a larger scale may require an 11, even though you're baling the same material. Cardboard baling wire is usually very tough, no matter the gauge, so the main point to concern yourself with is whether or not your chosen type of wire is compatible with the machine you're using. It's worth noting that this can vary extensively, so make sure you find the right wire for your specific machine and the type of material you hope to bale.

What is baling wire used for?

Baling wire is used to secure waste and scrap materials into neatly manageable bundles, making them easier to transport. It's perfect for aiding waste management in the recycling industry, and cutting down on wastage in general, no matter the area of work that you're in. Baling wire can come in many different forms, for example, galvanized baling wire is exceptionally strong and durable, and it's able to withstand the harsh conditions of the recycling process with ease. Galvanized baling wire is strong enough to survive being submerged into a molten liquid for some time, making it suitable for the galvanization of other types of metal. Black annealed baling wire is developed using the annealing process, a cycle of carefully measured heating and cooling, which is what gives it the increased level of ductility and elongation. Baling wire can be threaded through a baling machine to secure the scrap or waste material, or it can be tied by hand, as it's incredibly ductile, making it an extremely versatile material and an essential one in the recycling and agriculture industries. Baling wire has long been regarded as a fix-all type of material, so it's always handy to have some around the workspace.

Why is it called baling wire?

It's called baling wire because it refers to the job it's used for, securing bales of scrap material like hay and cardboard. The word bale might have its roots in the old Germanic language, relating to ball. Bales are the bundles of material compressed in a baling machine, and the wire is what binds this material together, holding it in place for easier maneuverability. Baling wire has been used extensively since the 1800s (this is likely when the term began gaining widespread popularity), but it's come a long way since then in both form and function. From humble origins, baling wire has become a critical material in the recycling and agricultural industries, largely due to the phenomenal rise of modern machinery like advanced baling machines and tractors.The words baling wire are often interchanged (incorrectly) with bailing wire, yet searching for either term on Google will likely still send you to the right place. By galvanizing either stainless steel or iron wire, manufacturers can make baling wire tougher than ever before. This process involves submerging the wire in a molten metal coating (usually zinc) in order to make it more durable and corrosion resistant. Baling wire can also be developed using the annealing process, which is when the wire is exposed to a cycle of heating and cooling over time.

What kind of wire is baling wire?

Baling wire is ultra-strong, highly durable, galvanized steel or iron wire. The galvanization process refers to the act of hot dipping (submerging) stainless steel or iron wire in a bath of molten zinc.The resulting metallurgical reaction causes the zinc to bond with the steel, creating a protective coating, enabling it to withstand erosion with ease. This process enables the baling wire to become exceptionally resilient and able to resist even the harshest weather and wear and tear for extensive periods of time. You can also find baling wire in the form of black annealed wire, an incredibly sturdy and versatile material that's created using a meticulous cycle of heating and cooling, causing it to increase in ductility for maximum ease of use. You can find out more about the properties of this wire here. Due to its many unique properties, including its ability to stand up to harsh conditions, baling wire is essential in the recycling and agricultural industries, and it's generally found in any type of baling application, include office recycling. Its main purpose is to secure bales (compact bundles of waste and scrap material) and hold them in place, making them easier to store, handle and transport, greatly aiding the waste management process.

What types of clothes are recyclable?

More than 17 million tons of textile waste are produced annually in the US, but only about 15% is recycled. As a primary component of textile waste, clothing takes up significant landfill space and releases methane during decomposition. The fashion industry is a leading water consumer and water polluter.

To combat waste and promote a circular economy, clothes should be recycled. Most types of clothing can be recycled, including:

Natural fibers: cotton, wool, linen, hemp, silk.
Synthetic fibers: polyester, nylon, acrylic.
Cellulose-based fibers: viscose/rayon.
Blended fabrics: cotton/polyester blends.

Clothes recycling reduces water and energy demands, frees up valuable landfill space, reduces water and soil pollution, and reduces carbon emissions. We’ll discuss clothes recycling: how recycling works for different clothing types, the clothes recycling market, and the baling wire you’ll need to recycle clothes safely and efficiently.

Natural fibers

Natural fibers are mechanically recycled. The process involves shredding fibers and respinning them into new yarn. Natural fibers are shorter and have less tensile strength, so they are usually respun with virgin fibers.

Recycled cotton can comprise up to 30% of a yarn blend while still producing a medium-count yarn suitable for most applications.
Wool can undergo recycling multiple times without fiber degradation.
Silk is cut and resewn without shredding when possible. Its fine fibers lose tensile strength during mechanical shredding and must be spun with virgin fibers to be used.
Linen and hemp follow similar processes to cotton.

Synthetic fibers

There are several ways to recycle synthetic fibers. Beyond mechanical shredding, synthetics can undergo:

Thermo-mechanical recycling: Thermoplastic fabrics, such as polyester (PET) and nylon can be melted and extruded, resulting in plastic pellets that can become many types of product.
Chemical textile recycling: Recyclers use solvents to separate and isolate materials. This process can handle mixed materials, so it can receive unsorted clothes and process fabric blends. The final product is a plastic polymer that is similar in quality to virgin materials.

No matter the technique, the chemicals and processes employed in synthetic fiber recycling are less consumptive and polluting than virgin clothes production. Synthetic fibers, once isolated and clean, are recyclable multiple times without quality loss.

Cellulose-based fibers

Cellulose-based fibers have the recyclability of natural fibers. Mechanical recycling produces lower-quality fibers that are mixed with virgin fibers to reach market requirements.

New chemical processing techniques foreshadow a closed-loop supply chain and a circular economy approach. Chemical textile recycling methods have demonstrated that cellulose-based fibers can be recycled nearly infinitely, decreasing resource and energy requirements compared to virgin fiber production.

The clothes recycling process

From end-of-life to re-manufacturing, this is the basic process of recycling old clothes:

Collection: Post-consumer textiles are collected through donation bins, clothing drives, or retailer take-back programs. Pre-consumer textile waste is gathered directly from manufacturers.
Sorting: Collected items are sorted based on material type, and color.
Processing: Textiles are mechanically shredded or chemically broken down to separate fibers. Contaminants and dyes are removed.
Fiber Transformation: Processed fibers are transformed into new materials, either through mechanical spinning or chemical repolymerization.
New Product Creation: Recycled yarn is woven or knitted into new fabrics and used to manufacture new clothing or other textile products.

What types of clothes can’t be recycled?

These types of clothing are impractical or too degraded to recycle:

Blended fabrics: Some recyclers can handle blended fabrics, but they require more advanced technology. Many areas might not have textile recyclers that can separate natural-synthetic fabric blends.
Soiled clothes: Items that are damp, moldy, oily, or soiled are generally rejected by recycling programs.
Clothing with embellishments and fixtures: Garments that have non-fabric components such as buttons, zippers, or hooks must be pre-processed to remove the components. Some recyclers lack the budget to incorporate preprocessing staff. Items adorned with sequins, beads, or other embellishments are often not recyclable due to the complexity of pre-processing.
Recycled polyester: Polyester can be recycled, but garments made of polyester that are mechanically recycled have shorter fibers and might not be suitable for recycling.

Market forecast for clothes recycling

Environmental concerns about textile production, government policy developments, and consumer demand are spurring recycling efforts and expanding the market for clothes made of recycled textiles.

The global clothing recycling market is poised to grow by about 4–7% through 2032 (1, 2). Technological advancements in textile processing and clothes manufacturing are expanding the supply of usable recycled fibers and the catalog of products fibers can be used to make.

Learn about clothes bale prices.

The benefits of recycling clothes

Some of the benefits of recycling clothes include:

Reduced waste material in landfills since textile waste can take centuries to decompose.
Conservation of raw materials and the energy required to produce new clothing.
Decreased pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the carbon footprint associated with textile production.
Support for secondhand clothing markets and reduced demand for new clothes.
Employment opportunities in the recycling and textile industry.

A sustainable future depends on recycling clothes and other waste materials. Active participation in textile recycling programs and support for businesses that use clothing fibers minimize the environmental impact of clothes production and clothing waste.

Best baling wire for clothes recycling

Baling wire is integral to the clothes baling and recycling process. Baling Wire Direct is proud to empower the recycling industry through high-quality US-made baling wire products. Here are some of our best products for baling clothes:

Single loop bale ties can be tied to different lengths to accommodate inconsistent bale sizes. They work with manual vertical and horizontal balers. We offer both black annealed and galvanized single loop bale ties.
Double loop bale ties are pre-cut to length and feature a loop (hook) at both ends. The double loop configuration accelerates the tying process, increasing productivity.
Black annealed wire feeds smoothly through high-volume automatic balers that are commonly used in clothes recycling. The annealing process improves the wire’s elongation for baling expansive clothes bales.

The best type of wire and wire gauge for clothes bales depends on whether you have a horizontal or vertical balerand whether it is an automatic or manual tie. For horizontal and vertical balers, we recommend 12–14 gauge wire. For two-ram balers, we recommend 10–12 gauge wire. Talk to us if you’d like help choosing the best wire for your recycling center.

Baling wire products we offer

Baling Wire Direct sells the following high-quality baling wire products.

Baling Wire FAQ

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What types of clothes are recyclable?

Natural fibers

Synthetic fibers

Cellulose-based fibers

The clothes recycling process

What types of clothes can’t be recycled?

Market forecast for clothes recycling

The benefits of recycling clothes

Best baling wire for clothes recycling

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