What do they do with donated clothes?

[PinnyPencher3]

Where I live my options are:
-drop off at charity shop
-leave outside house in bag that was put through letterbox (charity initiative)
-take to clothing bin at supermarket (charity initiative)
-take to dump where there’s a bin (think charity thing but not sure)

So I understand if I have a garment in relative decent condition I can donate to charity shop and they’ll sell it. But what about other stuff, what do they do with it, should I not give them stuff that isn’t charity shop sellable?

Examples:

• a t-shirt that I don’t think the Charity shop would sell as is too worn
• a pair of socks or pants, good condition but not new
• a towel
• a piece of clothing beyond repair (so just fabric at this point)

I of course want to avoid landfill. Am I mad to think that someone might want these things (maybe not the last item) because they have nothing, for example maybe a homeless person / person in extreme poverty?

I suppose my question is - what happens to stuff I donate? Is there a way to donate non sellable items to people in need?

I asked in my local charity shops and the staff didn’t know!

My local charity shop was happy to take a bag clearly marked "Rags" as they have a fabric recycling contract so they get money for them.

I would not donate underwear, socks or towels nor anything that was too tatty to resell. I always assumed that anything I donate (to charity shop, charity bags or clothing bin) should be in good condition. I a. Not claiming to be an expert in clothes donation however.

If something is usable but not saleable, you could offer it onFreecycle/freegle.

Please DO donate things that are tatty/worn out, as PP said above, charities can these for rags. Helpful if you mark them!

Nothing material should be going in the bin

• can SELL these for rags

Things that are too tatty to sell I put in the fabric recycling bin and mark it "rags". I don't put underwear in there but I do put socks.

There are several local companies in my area that buy bags of old clothes/fabric/rags by weight, so our local charity shops are happy to take in all of the stuff you’ve listed in your OP.

What do they do with the 'rags', there must be thousands of tonnes of rags from charity shops each year

I volunteer in a charity shop. We sell rags (clothes too shabby to sell) to a fabric recycling company. They pay quite reasonable money for it. Every charity shop I know does the same. Maybe the volunteer you asked just doesn't know this. Shop floor staff don't always know what goes on in the back.

They sell it for rags or recycling

My local wildlife rescue hospital accepts old towels for caring for the animals, maybe an option if you are near similar.

I used to volunteer for a charity shop, we ragged anything we couldn't sell (holes, tears, stains) and got some pennies per kilo for it, a rag man from another charity had a contract for recycling.

I use old odd socks for cleaning (dh sports socks turned inside out are good for polishing)

I know what you mean. And people have different standards. I’ve seen plenty of bobbly stuff in charity shops but I feel bad if I drop something off that isn’t perfect. Over the years (and certainly on MN) it seems to be that only unwanted/worn once is considered good enough. We generally wear things out so I’ve often wondered what to do with it all.

Do the recycling plants actually recycle them (… or are they exported?).

If there's one near you then Salvation Army clothing banks also welcome clothing that's beyond wearing, I believe they can have it mulched into sleeping bag lining.

Charity shops and charities that help re-house people in need around here do not accept undies or socks that have been worn. Lately they have not accepted worn PJs either, but that may change. So I mark those things as ‘rag’ when I drop them at the charity shop and I let them deal with them. There doesn’t seem to be a more environmentally positive option.

Other things are donated and sold/given to the person in need.

The really poor quality stuff gets turned into woven rags.
Factories use them as heavy duty cloths for cleaning oily and filthy equipment. They do get binned but by that point the fabric is beyond trashed and uncleanable (can't think of a better word).

One of my local charity shops take items as rags etc and sell them on to 50p per kg sort of companies.Another doesn't do this and gets charged for disposal so it actually costs them money to get rid of it. Most shops have managers you can ask

This is really helpful thank you everyone.
The staff said “someone takes it away” but didn’t seem to know why/where to.

@Toddlewaddler - interesting question!

I looked up the company involved in the bag put through the door collection. Their website stated that a lot of the clothes collected would go to Eastern Europe to be sold in second hand shops ( the firm “reycling” them pays the charity per ton weight collected)
Lots of charity shops can sell on less than perfect & unsold clothing for rags which are recycled into fabric, posh paper etc..
A lot of UK unwanted clothes were landing up in Africa to be sold on second hand stalls but I don’t know if that is still done.

Best thing is to ask the charity shop what grade they want you to donate and anything they don’t want try to pass on to recycling.

A lot of stuff that charity shops can't sell or if they have excess of gets solds to companies that bale the clothes and ship them to African countries where they are bought by people who then sell them in shops and markets. Its not unusual here to buy clothing that still has Oxfam price tags on although American charity shop clothing is most prominent. It provides buisness to some and affordable clothes for all. All sorts ends up here that way, i one time found a complete hsbc bank teller uniform which made me laugh

My local charity shop bags up all the clothes and linens that aren't good enough to sell in the shop. They are then taken away weekly and they get paid by weight so they still benefit. Old towels etc are put to oneside and given to other good causes such as dogs homes etc.

I should add I only checked out the one company stated on a collection bag put through my door —- I’m not saying they all operate the same way.

I used to volunteer in a charity shop. I only give the decent stuff, and stuff that's unsaleable I put in the 'Clothing and textile recycling bin' down the road which reuses or recycles.

The exception would be something with a really good fabric where the garment is damaged (eg brocade skirt or velvet jacket) - that goes to Traid who do upcycling as well as selling things straight on.

Yes, charity shops can sell them as rags.

But, and this may be peculiar to the charity shop I know, they are inundated with donations at the moment (people having a clearout before Christmas). They don't know what to do with all of the stock which is piled up in a garage so that everything is inaccessible. And there'll be another influx of donations after Christmas. We can't ask volunteers who are less mobile and more comfortable at the till to sort the giant pile. So bags that are labelled specifically as 'rags' are much appreciated.

If you can, please pace your donations rather than taking a boot full on Christmas Eve!

www.primark.com/en/the-edit/women/let-your-pre-loved-be-re-loved/a/6c970eb7-a925-4a0f-a104-66bf490e7bf4