[cantrip]

"No One Wants Your Used Clothes Anymore"

Notice that this is in the Opinion column. None of what's said here is even close to true.

Plenty of people shop at their local Goodwill or Salvation Army, where clothes are vastly cheaper than buying them new. Not only are they cheaper, but the clothes are often better quality.

Saying used clothes cost as much as new clothes and then citing an Indian blanket mill competing with Chinese manufacturers as evidence of this is disingenuous.

[houseofzeus]

The global problem is not the stuff that is in a good enough condition for resale. It's the stuff that isn't and still ends up in the donation bins.

[cantrip]

I'm not arguing what the global problem is. Condition of the donated clothing is not referenced anywhere in the article.

I'm arguing that what the author is saying is largely false.

[houseofzeus]

Where do you think the recyclers in the article are getting their raw materials from?

Your counterpoint to the authors claim that nobody wants your used clothes anymore seems to be that a handful do, which is great but is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of new product being churned out, consumed, and ultimately dumped - albeit in some cases via a donation bin or even a cycle of reuse - via the fast fashion chains.

[psychometry]

Title should really be "One Company in Panipat Doesn't Want your Used Wool Anymore".

[ghaff]

I won't say you're wrong but it does seem as if there's at least somewhat of a trend away from selling used goods.

One example local to me is a local sports store used to have a thriving second-hand section. A few years ago they got out of it because it wasn't profitable. Selling used ice hockey gear made more sense when most of the new stuff was made in the US, Canada, Finland, etc. compared to China. And, of course, eBay has shifted more toward new things from big sellers.

[calvano915]

I suspect that the quality (therefore price) has gone down on most of what they sell. Result: the goods don't last as long and don't retain value as well, and most people looking to buy can probably afford new.

[TaylorGood]

Of course. It's a highly subjective title. However, with fast fashion such as H&M and Zara at similar prices, it would sense if interest is in the latest fashion versus stores carrying vintage like Buffalo Exchange. But in the world of fashion, everything comes back around. Vintage will strike again if it's truly on the out.

[csdreamer7]

One of the better arguments here. I had problems with a blanket mill that supplies refugees being compared to good will shops.

Also another HN'er commented that recycled denim is used in insulation. Linus Tech Tips outfitted their server room with fireproofed denim insulation.

[mc32]

Yeah, when i was in college, i went to thrift stores. I'd get decent things on the cheap. By things i mean pants and shirts. No shoes or anything more personal.

Today i donate my stuff to them. Even if they have holes, they can be recycled.

I recall some guy in college who bought used clothing and shipped it to some guy who sold it somewhere in the Balkans, iirc. Do even if there isn't a local market, there probably is an intl market.

[bpicolo]

Poshmark and similar are huge in the millenial-female market.

[mcguire]

Out of curiosity, what percentage of clothes donated to Goodwill do you think end up on their retail racks? What happens to the clothes that don't?