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    Sea AnemoneJenna Sauers
    7/10/13 7:26pm

    Lots of donated clothing ends up getting shredded and turned into things like carpet padding.

    That carpet padding is going to be made anyway. If recycled materials aren't used, then new materials will be used.

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      lurker2209Sea Anemone
      7/10/13 8:00pm

      I wish there were places where you could donate old clothes specifically be be recycled and not to be sent to developing countries where they damage the local textile industry. I am bad at judging if anyone in my area would actually wear my old clothes. Maybe if I ever have to get rid of an offensive t-shirt I'll cut holes in it before donating it. Not that I have any offensive t-shirts, but someone could leave one at my house or something? The problem with this is that the people that buy the offensive shirts don't care if they end up in totally inappropriate situations. They think it's funny.

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      Sea Anemonelurker2209
      7/10/13 8:11pm

      If you cut them up into rags, first, they won't go into the garment cycle. That's the best suggestion I can come up with. Or, don't buy offensive t-shirts.

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    Grumpy was once banned - does he have a chance to get back in?Jenna Sauers
    7/10/13 7:11pm

    The same sort of 'charity' ruined any chance of there being an African apparel industry. Bales and bales of donated cholthing is distributed all over Africa through many different charities. They start out as free at the distribution point and increase in cost as the clothing migrates outward. It is like the US food program, all the food aid is bought here in the US and then shipped to where it is needed putting local farmers in competition with free.

    Charity is a good thing but it needs to be a part of a complex plan - not just a feel good way to get rid of something you don't want.

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      Emily MerlinoGrumpy was once banned - does he have a chance to get back in?
      7/10/13 7:23pm

      Such a good point about Western food aid. One of the reasons sustainable development, not temporary aid, is needed is because temporary aid perpetuates a terrible cycle of poverty.

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      thewordbistroGrumpy was once banned - does he have a chance to get back in?
      7/10/13 8:19pm

      Yes! Thank you for saying this. I've consulted for development companies with what I do, and it's such a huge problem. NGOs can't circumvent the community development by providing these things, or they are contributing to underdevelopment. Only a small few really seem to get this. Most just want the temporary high they get for handing out some candy to a few orphans, then back to their real life.

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    profmoxieJenna Sauers
    7/10/13 7:09pm

    Wow.

    This might just be the best, and saddest, example of American-centrism, Western dominance, gender inequality, White-normativity, and global inequality, I've EVER seen.

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      Kathulosprofmoxie
      7/10/13 7:16pm

      I wish this young woman had picked this shirt on purpose as a statement about such things. In a good world she would have. In a better world she wouldn't need too.

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      The Creepy Kingprofmoxie
      7/10/13 7:27pm

      Jesus Christmas. Are you always that melodramatic? You see all those things? I see a woman wearing a used t-shirt. And she appears quite comfortable.

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    AuntieMameandherCatJenna Sauers
    7/10/13 7:06pm

    I've started wearing my clothes till they're worn out. I buy cheap clothing, because I'm not rich, and I wear it till it's got holes that are noticeable. Then I either use the shreds to wash my kitchen floor and bathroom, or just toss them. I used to dutifully send them to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, but after seeing a documentary about where the stuff actually ends up, I realized that I wouldn't wear this stuff if I myself saw it in a used clothing store, so why do I expect that anyone else will want it? I do donate clothing that my daughter has outgrown that some other kid could actually use still and that's about it. I do donate working small appliances and electronics. But I've also stopped buying cheap things in general that really aren't adding to my life. I've saved lots of money, I don't feel like I have to compete with anyone about my stuff or my fashion, and I feel a little bit better about the detritus of our lives not affecting other people in the world quite so much.

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      La.M.AuntieMameandherCat
      7/10/13 7:12pm

      I shop at Goodwill regularly. It is where I get most of my clothes. Therefor I am very picky about what I will actually donate to goodwill. Oh, you don't like that stained, nasty shirt. Guess what, me either. Trash that shit. The Goodwill in Milwaukee was really good about only putting out gently word clothing, worth buying. I've found that the Goodwills in Vegas are not nearly as nice.

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      Sea AnemoneAuntieMameandherCat
      7/10/13 8:15pm

      As stated, some donated clothing is recycled into something else entirely or becomes rags. If you have too many rags from your old clothes, you can donate those, and they will either keep being rags or go in the shredder.

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    KazaliJenna Sauers
    7/10/13 7:15pm

    This is so confusing and distressing. Cheap clothes are bad, expensive clothes are bad, so what the heck? Whether I buy a T-Shirt that costs $200 or $2, someone in a sweatshop still probably manufactured it. If I wear all my clothes until they fall apart then they don't travel through the horrible donation chain, but then what will these people wear? If you're poor it doesn't matter whether the clothing is local or international, you still can't afford it, right? So even if America stops dumping its unwanted stuff on undeveloped countries, how do local merchants make money? My brain is about to explode.

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      MisfitToyKazali
      7/10/13 7:41pm

      I've started to buy clothes second hand and learn garment construction. Someone somewhere still wove the fabric that I'm using though, so it really seems like you can't win. When you really start to think about it it's kind of nauseating, honestly.

      I did, on the other hand, get a pair of tags-on, unworn CK jeans from a thrift store for $17. I call that a win. And a whole set of every day dishes for $15.

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      littleyewKazali
      7/10/13 7:54pm

      If I wear all my clothes until they fall apart then they don't travel through the horrible donation chain, but then what will these people wear?

      Whatever they wore before? Haiti has had a rough time, but I'm sure people won't be naked if American slogan tees stop pouring in. Once they don't have to compete with places who can lower their prices (to any level necessary) local merchants can adjust theirs.

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    jlucas8Jenna Sauers
    7/10/13 7:00pm

    Haiti is a really interesting example of this happening where the clothing comes full circle, but I think this happens all over (i.e. other developing countries, too). I was in Liberia once for work (only travel experience in a developing country) and my coworkers and I played NCAA conference Bingo. We found all of the Big 10 schools on t-shirts and most of a few other conferences. I didn't notice a slew of crass and offensive shirts there though...maybe because they try not to pawn those off on countries that primarily speak English? I don't know if it's the same situation as Haiti where the clothes were free though because I did see several vendors selling the shirts, at least in the capital. I hadn't thought of the problem of the free supply hurting/preventing local commerce. Maybe I should just burn that box of old tees I need to get rid of at my parents' house...

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      VicodivaJenna Sauers
      7/10/13 7:06pm

      It's a huge tax write-off scam by large Sports Organizations and skeevy Politicians as well.

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        fightinginfishnetsJenna Sauers
        7/11/13 2:24am

        If anyone is in the New York City area, let me suggest Fiber Recycling as an alternative to donating old clothes or just throwing them away. There are 26 Greenmarkets in the city that run the program year-round.

        http://www.grownyc.org/clothing

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          LynxJenna Sauers
          7/11/13 10:21am

          In books like Overdressed and Travel of My T-Shirt, they talk about how consumers in Africa are quite sophisticated when it comes to the "donations" from first world countries. I realize Haiti isn't Africa, but do these Haitians actually buy these t-shirts? Are they buying them *because* they have English on them? Because that's what happens in Africa.

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            Kerry PettyJenna Sauers
            8/04/13 12:35pm

            I was in Haiti shortly after the earthquake removing rubble for the installation of temporary shelters. Many Haitians proudly sported second-hand clothing from basketball referee uniforms to suburban U.S. elementary school t-shirts. Fashion isn't a huge priority nor is there a need to dress for warmth. The greatest respect we can show another culture is to set aside our values, priorities and ideals when evaluating their needs.

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