Charity shop, recycle, or bin?

squeaky

From today's Friends of the Earth tip for the day...

Charity shops spend approx £4.5 million sorting, recycling and storing unsuitable donations. Oxfam alone spends £500,000 each year, equal to their entire programme spend in Rwanda in 2004. As a result, they've launched a new initiative called 'Sorted' which aims to reduce costs by asking the public to consider whether Oxfam shops will be able to sell items they donate, or if they should be recycled or binned instead. If you're unsure about a donation, 'ask inside' at an Oxfam shop or call 0845 3000311.

For more info, visit http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/shop/how_to_donate/

Ticklemouse

Cheers for this squeaky.

I had been wondering what to do with some of my stuff - ie clothes that are too old/wrecked to be of any use to anyone. I hate the idea of throwing them away as I'm sure there are places that recyle the material. We have a 'bin' at our local tip for clothes - I'll have to ask them but I'm sure this is where tatty clothes go for proper recycling.

Loadsabob

Thanks Sqeaky - I popped to the site, and learnt something I hadn't realised - that Oxfam can take unwanted mobile phones and accessories and convert them into cash. I know some charity shops can't take electrical goods, and I'd always been reluctant to take those hands-free kits in to a charity shop, but now I know they could be teamed up with unwanted handsets and be of some use...along with my old mobile.

Curry_Queen

Ticklemouse wrote:

Cheers for this squeaky.

I had been wondering what to do with some of my stuff - ie clothes that are too old/wrecked to be of any use to anyone. I hate the idea of throwing them away as I'm sure there are places that recyle the material. We have a 'bin' at our local tip for clothes - I'll have to ask them but I'm sure this is where tatty clothes go for proper recycling.

I've always wondered about that too as I've sent DS up to the clothing bank with stuff before, some of it perfectly ok to re-use and some only fit for recycling

nicki_2

I have to agree with this - I always sort my donations out before I take it in! If something is broken, missing a piece or wouldn't really be worth much money I bin it straight away! I've spent nearly 5 years constantly decluttering (well meant hand-me-downs that aren't suitable - especially when I had a baby girl and had loads of boys stuff) and I don't think I'll ever be finished but if I can't sell it I always carefully consider if its worth anything to charity shops! Mind you I tend to donate to Marie Curie and the British Heart Foundation and I don't think I've donated a piece of furniture yet!!!

Ticklemouse

Oxfam furniture shops are great if you haven't the time/energy to sell it. When I used to live in Watford, I took loads down to them - they will always tell you what can't be accepted due to fire regs etc, then you can bin it if necessary.

Since we've moved, I've given furniture to the church charity - they come and collect it too. At least you know that it's going to be given to a needy person/family and I'd rather someone got a few more years use out of our half decent sofa bed than just tip it, as I couldn't be bothered selling it.

alec_eiffel

As far as clothing unfit for human consumption goes, Ms Eiffel used to be the manager of a couple of charity shops and they all sold rag shoes and clothes to a recyling firm. It does take ages to sort out the stock though so we always label a bag as containing "rags" so the staff know not to sort through it. Printer cartiridges, mobile phones etc can also raise money, some places take old spectacles too, if you have the rime it's best to ask in the shop you wish to donate to.

calleyw

Our local black box recycling takes clothes and shoes.

I believe these are sold off to companies for rags.

Which is what I do with items when they are to wrecked for anything else.

Yours

Calley

VickyA_2

There's a green clothes recycling "bin" next to the Co-op in both my village and the neighbouring village/town.

In addition, there's a local youth theatre charity shop in the nearby town which I'm more inclined to give to as I know some of the people involved. They don't accept furniture in their shop, but they do have a display in the window of items of furniture that are being sold to benefit the youth theatre.

Oh, and British Heart Foundation supply large placcy bags for you to fill with your donations. You can fit more in them than in a Tesco bag - probably why they're that bit bigger!

gravitytolls

Nicki, I think if you can't sell it, then maybe the charity shops can't either.

I have noticed in the last few years, that charity shops appear to have much less good quality clothing, especially for children, than they uised to. I think this is due to the rise in ebayers.

I use ebay, because charity shops prices are rather high for many products, and it's often cheaper to ebay, not to mention not using fuel and paying parking charges.

Anyhoo, that's by the by, if you can't sell it, nor can they.

jo_b_2

gravitytolls wrote:

Nicki, I think if you can't sell it, then maybe the charity shops can't either.

Anyhoo, that's by the by, if you can't sell it, nor can they.

I used to volunteer in an Oxfam shop when I was an undergrad. Any clothing that wasn't suitable for resale was sold on to be recycled through the rag trade, so Oxfam still made money on it.

I think Oxfam are asking not to get broken and unusable household items, toys etc rather than unsaleable clothes.