What really happens when you donate your clothes

It’s spring time. You are suddenly aware of your bulging dresser and cluttered closet, erupting with clothes that no longer fit and that you no longer like. You load them up in your trunk and take your teetering haul to the local Savers, annoyed at yourself for having bought so many clothes but placated by the thought that your profligate shopping might serve another’s tastes. But what really happens after you dump that forlorn pile into the donation bin?

Re-Sold

After you drop them off, your clothes are first sorted by thrift store staff. The most valuable items are passed on to Ebay or Craigslist, according to reporting by National Geographic, while items contaminated by undesirables like mildew (about five percent) are sent straight to the landfill.

According to reporting by Green America — a sustainable economy think-tank— the popular thrift chain Goodwill attempts to sell donated clothes for about four weeks before shipping the leftovers to Goodwill outlets, where items are sold at 99 cents per pound. Clothes that remain are sent to Goodwill Auctions, which sell “mystery” bins for $35 each. Several thrift store supply chains represent some variation of this.

Recycled

Clothes that survive thrift store outlets and auctions unsold may be recycled into rags or salvaged into filling for upholstery or insulation, according to reporting by the Washington Post.

Exported

Clothes that don’t sell in thrift outlets or auctions may also get shipped overseas. About 1.58 billion pounds of textiles are sent each year to low-income countries, where they may be reworn, resold, or repurposed. While some argue that the influx of used clothes creates an important secondary job market for the destination countries, others argue that it undercuts local clothing shops and designers.

What can you do?

Aside from ethically sourcing clothes and limiting consumption, donating used items to a reputable thrift store is probably the best way to secure a second life for them. Beware of unverified donation bins- some of these are deployed by for-profit companies who scour the lot for the best items and trash the rest. Of course, the best way to make sure your clothes find someone who wants them is to give them away to a friend or community member directly: your trash may very well be another’s treasure.