Used Clothing Donation for Reuse and Recycling

Really? Old clothes into furniture? I could dig having a couch made entirely out of "lovely lady lacies." A love seat, perhaps.

I volunteer at a tiny thrift store and to me 85% sounds high but not totally unbelievable. We have three bins - one for donations coming in, one for garbage going out and one for donations which are unsuitable for our store but may be useful to organisations who collect for developing countries or disaster-relief, etc. Unfortunately I'm skeptical about how much of the latter actually goes anywhere useful vs. ending up in the trash.

The garbage and relief bins are always more full than what we take in to the store to sell. Always.

People go to thrift stores to find bargains in great shape and although people who donate their wares have good intentions, most items that get donated have stains or rips or armpit rot and we just can't put it out.

I love the idea of recycling clothing into furniture, mattresses, etc...

Joe: Something like this? http://www.pantalaine.com/dress.html ;P

85% sounds about right to me, but perhaps not for the reason you might think. Decades ago when I was a kid, Goodwill and Salvation Army and other missions had truly needy people who needed clothing, any serviceable clothing. I invite anyone to try to donate what I call "car-washing clothes" (i.e. they are functional but not suitable for 'polite company')to these organizations today. IF they are accepted, they will be thrown away. Even international 'relief' organizations do not accept or actively discourage donations of any used clothing or any actual items and instead encourage cash donations. I feel really terrible about throwing away an item of clothing that could still be used by someone who is struggling to just be clothed - but that is really my only option except for cutting them up for rags to use myself. I second Judy - if anyone knows of a fabric recycler, that seems like the only viable option. I know back in the day there used to be such things as 'rag' collections - the rag quality clothing being turned into rags and resold or shredded and used to make cheap fabric for non-clothing uses. I don't even know where to start looking for something like that - and I have bags and bags of such clothing that I am currently cleaning out of my closets.

Ive spent the last hour trying to find an organization to pick up three bags of my used clothes. I've been told by Oasis that my donation isn't large enough for them to pick up. The Salvation Army won't come to my neighborhood for a month and a half. The closest drop box is at least five kilometers away. As i dont have a car I can see no other option than simply throwing the clothes away. Any other suggestions?

The real solution to all these problems is to stop over consuming. We really need to critically assess how much we are over consuming and the impact this is having on the world. Not only are we using too much of the earths valuable resources and destroying the environment, but we are also disgustingly exploiting the third world farmers and factory workers who make our clothes and grow our cotton.

That said, I wish there was a more positive alternative for what to do with our used clothing. I myself have a bag of old clothes and am looking to donate to a good home, but i don't want it to be thrown out when there are people all over the world who need clothing on their backs.

I am the secretary of the " DAYASRITHA FOUNDATION" in Sri Lanka. This foundation was established by Mr. Dayasritha Tissera,the minister of state resources and enterprise development in Sri Lanka (a developing third world country)with the intention of helping the poor with their basic needs like housing, education and clothing. We have by now helped the needy pupils of the country with their education by giving them books and assistance for preparation for their examinations free of charge.
However, we have not been able to help the poor people with clothing. So if you need to make a donation of used clothes to the needy people, well I can make an arrangement through the foundation. Hope a favourable reply and your generous gesture will help the needy.
Channa

Canadian Diabetes Association DOES NOT PICK UP around King West area. Any suggestions on which organizations in DT area do pick up?

Does anyone know of a company that accepts non-wearable clothing for recycling? I found a couple of websites I'm the states that, for example turn old denim into housing insulation. I've got a bunch of old jeans with too many holes in them now. It would be a shame if they ended up in the trash.
Could they possibly go in the compost?

Over consumption in the Western World for sure! Watch Real Estate shows on TV and see how all the women want walk in closets for their clothes and a second just for shoes. The older homes had small closets or no closets at all. One agent told a customer it was because in those days the closet was for men's suits and women's best dress only. A small closet would have sufficed.
Only donate good quality clothes with no stains, no rips, working zippers and all buttons in place.

PLEASE YOU CAN CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY CLOTHS YOU LIKE

PLEASE KINDLY GIVE OUT TO SOME OF OUR POOR SISTERS AND CHILDREN IN GHANA -AFRICAN .

YOU CAN CONTACT MY EMAIL ADDRESS

mingig2000@yahoo.com