Old clothes/materials with holes

Snowy_Owl

Hi there,

I've been having a bit of a clear out over the last few weeks and have got a bin bag full of old clothes, jackets and bed sheets that have holes in them.

Basically, I can't really give them to a charity shop due to the state they're in. There is a collection shop that "buys" old clothes for charities abroad at £5 a kilo but they have to be in a wearable / useable condition - ie no holes!!

So, am wondering if I can sell them to a rag merchant or similar (things are a bit tight at the moment) but don't know where to look or where to start. Any little bit of money would be helpful, failing that, they'll be going in the material bank at one of the big car parks.

Snowy

Alison_Funnell

Could you use them to make patchwork or other items and sell them that way?

SailorSam

If you end up having to throw them away, any sheets or towels etc could go to an animal rescue centre.
T try and sell them if you have a small garage/workshop near you, they maybe able to use them.

MessyTessie

Ask in charity shops, at least one of my local ones will take unsellable clothes as they get 'rag' value for them. It might be worth a visit before you go carting it all around if you have alot.

HTH

RAS

Rag value locally was £2.50 per bag for woollens, less for cotton and about £1.50 for mixed stuff, throught the shoddy merchants, accordibng to one of the folk from Emmaneus who sorts them.

Snowy_Owl

Thanks guys! Will ask in the charity shops when next in town and the garages

rachbc

how about this
http://www.returntoearn.co.uk/

bekkabex

It won't make you any cash, but sometime ago I read a tip that suggested that clothes not fit for giving away could be used to insulate around your bath, thus helping the water in it to stay warm for longer... I took the front panel off the front of our (large, plastic) bath and stuffed the old clothing underneath and especially up behind the bath where it was against an outside wall. It definitely makes a noticeable difference to heat retention - just make sure you check for leaks before you start so they stay dry.

ikati5

All charity shops rag clothing etc that they cannot sell and the clothing banks you see in car parks are collected by charity shops and sorted into usable and rags.

MessyMare

Rach - they don't take clothing with holes. I was amused to see that they don't take ethnic clothing - not that I know what that is!

Austin_Allegro

It all depends on whether you have the time, but could the items be repaired and reused? Or perhaps even sold on Ebay?

I bought an old briefcase cheap on Ebay because the handle was falling off, but I could see from the pic that it could easily be repaired - it took me about 30 mins, some glue and an old washer from my toolbox and I sold it back on Ebay for about £20 profit.

It's surprising also how much longer clothes can be made to last by repairing them, you can do a sides-to-middle job on sheets too. There are quite a lot of make-do-and-mend websites for tips.

I see it as money earned if I can reuse something. I usually listen to the radio while doing it so it doesn't really seem like 'work' either.