Has anyone bought from Lost Stock to support Bangladeshi workers?

[MillicentMartha]

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/may/30/lost-stock-its-like-buying-your-future-self-a-present

I’ve just seen this article in the Guardian about this company who are selling some of the clothes ordered by high street shops, and then orders were cancelled due to coronavirus. So clothes has been made but not paid for. This company are selling some of this stock, only tops, to support the manufacturers and factory workers.

It looks like a bit of a lottery, you tell them your size, what type of colours you like and what age you are (or dress!) and for £35 +£4 p&p you get £70 worth of tops, at least 3.

I was thinking of ordering as it seems a great idea and a good cause, but I wondered if anyone had done so yet? What sort of clothes did you receive? It could be too early, I guess. I might order some stuff for my boys as they’re less fussy than me!

I ordered one - I hate shopping so am looking forward to the endless choice being taken out of the equation. Plus the added bonus of practically supporting garment workers.
Wait time will be long but it will be a (hopefully) nice surprise when it arrives.

I had an email to say Covid has slowed things down more than expected, the first 30,000 are ready to ship and the next 40,000 are being finalised.

If that helps at all. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think I'm in the second batch so yes - that does help!

It's quite a luxury to be able to purchase something that you don't know the materials or colours and style. I can not justify making a non informed purchase but good for anyone that can.

I'm in, thanks for sharing this. Bought some tops from me in neutral, they can either be work tops (I need new ones) or just around the house ones. I also bought a boys box for my twins but in a size bigger as I'm thinking they might do for next summer. I said surprise me, so it's adventure but seei g as they have different styles hopefully one will like it.

@Immigrantsong I understand and I'm lucky I have spare money to take the punt as I see its a worthwhile cause. Also I have shopping and haven't bought new work tops for years so I see it as a helpful idea.

@Immigrantsong I agree, I'd like to support but if I dislike everything in the box it's just too much of a waste of money for me. If they did basics boxes (plain T-shirts, etc.), I'd be more interested.

Ah, just saw they do, still too risky for me though not knowing what kind of cuts/neckline/etc. they have.

I got one, I’m actually fully expecting to not like anything in the box, i Just liked the concept of helping the charity.

It’s exciting to see what will be in there though!

Just bought one, in the complete opposite of what I normally wear.

So... just to play devils advocate...

It's pretty easy to get 50% off in a shop right now and to be able to pick the clothes you buy at the same time.

The ongoing survival of the high street will help the ongoing sustainability of the factories in Bangladesh.

Ive nothing against the company you are saying to order from

This is a really interesting idea. I know someone who imports from China and he said so many of the factories have gone bust. He said one of his competitors, a giant in the outdoor clothing and sports sector, had refused to pay for stuff that was being made as ordered (because they didn’t need it), totally disreputable.

I ordered one at the start of June. There is a group on Facebook for swaps etc as well. Look up lost stock reveal and trade.

I thought it was a good cause and was worth the risk.

Just got my box. Utter shite.

I have ordered one but after joining the fb group mentioned above I am totally dreading getting it. I haven't seen anything I would be happy with. I know it is about supporting a good cause and I am happy to do so however I think it has been marketed in a very sneaky way. People have been receiving things that do not reflect their selected preferences at all!

I got three tops from matalan. Two white one yellow. I ordered ‘darks’ just annoyed at the whole thing. If it had genuinely been a ‘you’ll get what you’re given’ then fine I’d have had my eyes open but I just feel like a bit of a twat.

Oh no @KTD27 😢 this is what I am worried about. I ordered darks and I have seen people who ordered darks get white see through vests! I feel they should have just done mystery boxes and not given preferences as that has given a false sense of what you might get.

I got one and the clothes are hideous, and nothing like my preferences. As only a % actually goes to the workers and the rest is absorbed by logistics, I'd have rather if they weren't able to stick to what people might actually wear, just donate the £35 directly to the charity rather than less than that and recieving clothes I'll never wear.

I posted on the other thread. Anyone who has questioned whether the items they received were actually worth the reported £70 (or even the £35 they paid) has been deleted and blocked from the Facebook reveal and swap thread. I'm not convinced the entire thing is a massive scam but items are certainly not as described.

I'd rather have just given a tenner to a charity to support Bangladeshi clothing workers tbh

Yep @Clymene I wish I had just donated to the charity partner and not got caught up in the hype.

Sorry to say I told you so but .. this was an expensive way of adding to the unnecessary carbon footprint of clothes that were always destined for a charity shop.

Why would they give you the good ones when you are buying blind? Of course they gave the shit clothes away! Crackers. Plus the shipping eco-impact. Just crazy.

I’ve been following the Facebook threads too and anyone who says anything remotely realistic like the clothes aren’t even worth £35 let alone the £70 are being shot down. I ordered because l thought it was a great deal, I thought surprise nice clothes would be nice and great it would help a family.

The other day despite 110000 boxes sold I believe only 5000 family’s / meals for the week had been distributed.

I have to say I wish I had never done it and I wish I hadn’t recommended. I am all for helping people but I believe that someone somewhere has to be making a packet.

I wish I hadn't ordered also - I feel like we're being lied to and taken for fools and I don't know whether we can believe what this company is saying about the proportion of the money that's going to charity.

DP ordered back in April or whenever it was and his order came today. Five perfectly nice T-shirts, all decent quality although not all to his taste. Unfortunately none of them fit as he’s lost over 2 stone since lockdown 😂

Having said that, I am having a bit of schadenfreude at the wannabe influencers gushing at their £10 Matalan tops and how fab they are before they found out where they were from