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AIBU?

Aibu to take things from outside the clothes bank

320 replies

Untamedfemale · 14/10/2022 11:43

Just what the title says my kids need clothes and there are always bags of them outside the clothes bank a lot of people seem to go through them and they often end up on the floor etc so do you think ibu to have a look through and take some.

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Am I being unreasonable?

AIBU

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Faciadipasta · 14/10/2022 15:17

But they're not charitable donations are they? They've been fly tipped. And frankly anyone who cares enough about charity to ACTUALLY donate wouldn't give 2 hoots if they were taken by someone.who really needed them to clothe their children!!

By the way @TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael great user name. That is my favourite film quote of all time

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WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 14/10/2022 15:31

The clothes are NOT bloody fly-tipped. They are left BY the charity clothes bank, because clearly the clothes bank/skip is full. What the OP is doing stealing from a charity. Stop trying to sugar coat it as something else.

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girlmom21 · 14/10/2022 15:33

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 14/10/2022 15:31

The clothes are NOT bloody fly-tipped. They are left BY the charity clothes bank, because clearly the clothes bank/skip is full. What the OP is doing stealing from a charity. Stop trying to sugar coat it as something else.

They are fly-tipped in exactly the same way clothes outside a charity shop are fly-tipped.

If the bins are that full the charity clearly doesn't need all the donations because they'd empty them more regularly if they did.

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GreenWheat · 14/10/2022 15:35

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 14/10/2022 15:31

The clothes are NOT bloody fly-tipped. They are left BY the charity clothes bank, because clearly the clothes bank/skip is full. What the OP is doing stealing from a charity. Stop trying to sugar coat it as something else.

Are you one of those people that also thinks it's OK to dump rubbish at the side of a full bin instead of going to one that isn't full?

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Merryoldgoat · 14/10/2022 15:38

OP - I give my stuff away on freecycle.

You could create a ‘wanted’ post and see if you could get in early.

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Goldencarp · 14/10/2022 15:40

I was about to put 2 bags in the clothes bank the other day and a lady asked if she could have them. I happily handed them over. As long as someone who needs them gets them I don’t care.

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IhateHermioneGranger · 14/10/2022 15:46

How broke are you?

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witchesbubblebath · 14/10/2022 15:48

AMDB5 · 14/10/2022 13:02

When we need charcoal for the BBQ can I take it from outside the front of the shop without paying?

Don't compare apples and pears. Not the same.
BBQs are often a more luxury item than indoor cooking.
This person is in dire need. I've been there. It's horrible.
However if you desperately need a heat source to cook food and you had'nt any other way, then I'd advocate taking the coals possibly.
This isn't taking for entitlement reasons. Unfortunately alot of people in this country are struggling currently and I'm lucky enough that my benefits are currently intact. I've experienced otherwise and have learnt compassion from it.

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user53852098 · 14/10/2022 15:49

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 14/10/2022 15:31

The clothes are NOT bloody fly-tipped. They are left BY the charity clothes bank, because clearly the clothes bank/skip is full. What the OP is doing stealing from a charity. Stop trying to sugar coat it as something else.

They are flytipped, there are often signs saying that flytippers will be fined and so they should be.

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user53852098 · 14/10/2022 15:51

Supermarket carparks look a right mess with all the flytipped old clothes sat in them, one of our local supermarkets got rid of the bins because of this

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IhateHermioneGranger · 14/10/2022 15:53

Charity starts from home. Cancel that direct debit and use it to rummage in charity shops for your children.

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Mellowday · 14/10/2022 15:57

Personally i wd not take what was meant for a charity if it was a spefic one , say like cancer care in case the donator wanted it to go there for personal reaons such as they had lost a relative to charity etc.
Saying that , charity shops are too exoensive for people who are struggling . With this in mind a free clothes bank has been set up in our area, which operates like a food bank in that the clothes are taken for free.
I wonder if you have one in your area.
They are such a good idea.

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XenoBitch · 14/10/2022 16:00

Take the clothes, OP. If it is not in the bin, it has been fly tipped.

I see piles dumped outside of charity shops all the time. It all gets binned. I have seen books left out in the rain. What good are they to a charity shop?

People seem to see charity bin/shops as a way of them avoiding sorting through things properly and going to the tip.

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Untamedfemale · 14/10/2022 16:00

IhateHermioneGranger · 14/10/2022 15:46

How broke are you?

I have money for food and bills after that not much at all

OP posts:

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Comedycook · 14/10/2022 16:01

And still no one can answer what happens to these clothes? I doubt they operate like a food bank and get distributed locally to people in need. I've read articles which say some get sold abroad and some get turned into rags and some end up in landfill? What is the truth?

As for charity shops...the don't exist to help the poor. They exist to make money for the charity. Some of them are shockingly expensive and poor quality.

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Kabalagala · 14/10/2022 16:02

Comedycook · 14/10/2022 14:47

But does anyone actually know where these clothes in the clothing banks end up?

Obviously depends on the company, but typically they're owned by used clothing wholesalers. The charity named on the bank gets a certain amount of the proceeds. The clothes are then sold by weight, where they are sold on again. Some end up exported to be sold in developing countries, some are sold for rags, and lots ends up in landfill/incinerated. Most are not actually sold in charity shops or distributed to the needy.

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Comedycook · 14/10/2022 16:04

And the people criticising op clearly see charity as an abstract concept. The op is in need...why would you object to her taking them? Or is there another layer of mythical poor people in society who you think are more deserving and want to help but only at arm's length.

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Comedycook · 14/10/2022 16:05

Kabalagala · 14/10/2022 16:02

Obviously depends on the company, but typically they're owned by used clothing wholesalers. The charity named on the bank gets a certain amount of the proceeds. The clothes are then sold by weight, where they are sold on again. Some end up exported to be sold in developing countries, some are sold for rags, and lots ends up in landfill/incinerated. Most are not actually sold in charity shops or distributed to the needy.

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Thank you...just as I thought. So the op isn't actually stealing from people in need is she?

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Kabalagala · 14/10/2022 16:10

Comedycook · 14/10/2022 16:05

Thank you...just as I thought. So the op isn't actually stealing from people in need is she?

Show quote history

Not at all. And any clothing left outside the bank, will with 100% certainty be sent to landfill.
Clothing banks are probably the very worst to give away old clothing.

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MuddyLuddy · 14/10/2022 16:13

Op - You say you donate £10 a month to charity ?
Charity starts at home. Spend that £10 in a charity shop on kids clothes. It's a win win
You are still donating , but you are getting something back.

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Cosmos123 · 14/10/2022 16:14

Untamedfemale · 14/10/2022 11:43

Just what the title says my kids need clothes and there are always bags of them outside the clothes bank a lot of people seem to go through them and they often end up on the floor etc so do you think ibu to have a look through and take some.

If I left clothes and someone came along for in need I wouldn't mind at all.

I would not label the person for stealing and indeed be happy they have gone to a good home.

Whether it goes via the charity or directly as long as it helps to make somebodies life easier.

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Cosmos123 · 14/10/2022 16:15

*someone's

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RandomCatGenerator · 14/10/2022 16:24

YukoandHiro · 14/10/2022 15:01

@TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael there are loads of charity shops that do bundles for £1 or less. There are lots of charities that distribute clothing for free entirely based on need. All local FB groups have people offering bundles free for collection.
Itsnnot looking down your nose or denying genuine need to still think that taking others' charitable donations off the street is wrong.

I have never come across charity shops offering £1 bundles, nor free bundles of clothes on Facebook.

Charity shops are getting expensive, and on Facebook marketplace you can get great deals but they can also be expensive. And you have to pay for postage or for petrol to get there.

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girlmom21 · 14/10/2022 16:31

And still no one can answer what happens to these clothes?

They get picked up by those dodgy companies that put the clothes bags through your door with tiny small print saying that the charity gets a 20% donation of profits and sell them to cash for clothes companies who then send the rubbish to landfill and sell anything decent

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Comedycook · 14/10/2022 16:33

girlmom21 · 14/10/2022 16:31

And still no one can answer what happens to these clothes?

They get picked up by those dodgy companies that put the clothes bags through your door with tiny small print saying that the charity gets a 20% donation of profits and sell them to cash for clothes companies who then send the rubbish to landfill and sell anything decent

Then in my mind...the op is truly deserving of them.

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