Recent 'shwopping' advert and textile recycling

[Mosaic]

Can anyone put me right on this? I've noticed the M&S publicity about recycling clothes and textiles - the shwopping thing - which is a great idea as it supports Oxfam.
But am I right in thinking that all charity shops have links with the rag trade anyway? I have believed for some time that the shoddy dealers take up unwanted textile items for shredding and re-spinning.....
Also, our excellent local tip has a section for clothes and textiles which I'm pretty sure gets a first sift from the blokes for anyhting re-usable / saleable and then gets sent off for shoddy....
Am I incorrect about this, and in fact it's all been going into landfill, and M&S are trailblazing a new approach?

[boxtops]

I couldn't be certain, mosaic, but we have loads of charity shops here and there are always bags of stuff outside on dustbin day. It may be that some charity shops have a deal with the rag trade but I wouldn't like to say that it was all of them.

[fairycakes69]

Most if not all charity shops get money for rags, there is a company that picks it up every week. I was always under the impression that the recycling bin outside supermarkets, once emptied goes to the local shop of the charity it is for, this is not the case it is picked up and taken to the charity warehouse and shops have to pay to get deliveries of this stock, to cover the transport of the goods.

[fairycakes69]

Bags outside on bin days is donations that cannot be sold due to damaged or broken which the rag company cannot take. Unfortunatly some people seem to think that the charity shop is their local skip and give donations that are really cannot be sold. You would be amazed at what is in some of the donations and that a lot of the clothes are not washed and very stained. Most of the time the donations are great and the shops are very grateful for them other times its gloves and air freshner.

[bednobs]

i don't understand how m and s approach is new or trailblazing tbh. The only advantage it has over taking your own stuff to a charity shop is that they take it there for you. How often do you chuck out just on peice of clothing? - i usually do a load at once and take it to the charity shop (which is practically next door to m and s in my town anyway)
Now if they gave you money off for donating an item, i might well be more excited

[chi-chi66]

If I remember rightly..the last campaign was if you took and item of M&S into
Oxfam, they (Oxfam) gave you an M&S voucher for £5.
This time round they are'nt giving you anything, just sending you're stuff
for you. As previously said, M&S are near Charity shops anyway usually,
unless they are now talking about the big out of town stores.

[Mosaic]

Your answers are kind of confirming what i suspected. It is quite ironic that M&S have got loads of free publicity for this when others have been doing it for years - it struck me when I listened to it on radio 4, and it was obvious that the presenter was amazed that such a thing might be possible.
Mind same person is probably convinced life reverts to the Stone Age north of M25.

[chi-chi66]

haha mosaic...Thats why I don't participate, they would'nt want my loincloth,
even the fur one! x

[Mosaic]

There's a specialist market for everything Chichi.....now about that fur loincloth...

[cathfromsaron]

i person i know works in barnardos and they are very reputable! anything that can't be sold is 'weighed in' for a price per kilo! none of the staff can have freebies and all furniture and electricals are repaired and checked before re-selling!

but 'others' are not so diligent!

[Mosaic]

Maybe then this is an apposit time for all the other charities to post their recycling policies loud and clear?

[chi-chi66]

A system that is springing up around me, is shops that pay you
50p per kg for you're goods. Another is a van comes around (leaflets posted
through door with info) giving you 40p per kg, or you can book a collection.
If you take you're own bags to the depot, you are paid 60p per kg.

This is an export business, so really, the choice is your's, either get paid,
or give you're stuff to charity.

[scraggy55]

There must be something in it for Marks and Spencers, lets be honest, I wouldn't do it - take your stuff to a charity shop. Quite frankly, I'd rather the folks in the shop had it than Marks & Spencers.

[Ann]

My thoughts are - WHERE will M&S keep mountains of these tatty (maybe smelly) clothes? It doesn't seem very hygenic to me ............. what is the incentive for the customer? I have my own favourite charity (BHF) and keep everything until their bag comes round and sometimes put several bags out at once. Oxfam does not have a good track record in letting all the money go to the needy, a lot goes on administration, it has been proved.