Clothes Recycling 12 August 2012 at 4:57PM in Charities 6 replies 1.4K views

debtfreeby2013

Hi all,

I have 2 bags of clothes that I want to donate but most are so battered and worn that they'd be no good for resale. I've read before about charities that take unsaleable clothes to recycle into new clothes and take to places like Africa but I have no idea where to look, googling 'clothes recycle charities' it just brings second hand clothes shops.

Anyone got any ideas?

McKneff

I know that age UK, welcome unsaleable clothes, not sure whether they just sell them for rags, I suppose even if they do, it's all money to them.

debtfreeby2013

If they do then that's great, as you say, it's still money to them and I wouldnt be offended if my tatty horrible clothes were sold as rags. Haha. I would feel highly embarrassed giving my clothes to sell.

McKneff

We have a local Age UK and they havea notice on the door saying that they welcome rags.

Taadaa

Just ask whoever you give them to what they do with them. If they are for rags, great. Unfortunately sometimes they end up being sold as bundles in Africa to people who cawant to sell them on to make a little. Unusable clothes get hidden in these bundles by unscrupulous traders.

debtfreeby2013

Taadaa wrote: »

Just ask whoever you give them to what they do with them. If they are for rags, great. Unfortunately sometimes they end up being sold as bundles in Africa to people who cawant to sell them on to make a little. Unusable clothes get hidden in these bundles by unscrupulous traders.

Ooohh, I'll have to ask when I take them, I've heard of charities that reuse the materials of the clothes to make new clothes for Africa but I don't think I'd be happy if my clothes were sold to be used over there, they're seriously bad!! Lol.

Dark_Star

A couple of our local independent charity shops will take stuff for "rags". I label the bag & make it clear when I hand it in, that it's for the ragbag. I think they get so many pounds per ton. Probably not much but better than going to waste...;)

Worth asking in each shop