Notices by :tzcat08: KaKetelmug :tzcat26: (kaketelmug@mstdn.social)

@futurebird I volunteer in such a free shop In Berlin which exists about 15-20 years now, rent is paid by donations. People bring stuff, others pick it up. We actually have a huge turnaround: if something is in the shop >3 weeks, it's usually out of season (xmas decoration!). Especially household items & books go quickly. But I do wonder about the huge mass of clothing that passes our shop: books you read and pass on, until they really fall apart, but the amount of clothing is truly crazy..

@dan613 @futurebird
I do hope so, still, even if you see it as a "clothing library" (yes. some stuff comes back multiple times), I'm pretty sure the amount of clothing that passes our small shop in a year could have clothed the whole of Berlin twice over. So.. where does it all end up?? We suspect some "hoarders" shop with us, but only a small percentage. I'm afraid free shops are only a very small, & temporary, "hold" on the clothing mill, and still a lot of stuff gets dumped when still good..

@futurebird @dan613 yep, that's a fundamental problem: in the free shop we notice the quality of clothing has gone down absurdly. The fabric of a T-shirt 20y old is better than of a new one still with label..
Repairing or making your own clothing is "out": It's cheaper to buy a sweater than to knit it yourself.
I do some upcycling as one of the free shop side projects, but it is still a drop on the hot plate of overproduction.
The "quality wardrobe" you describe is an exception unfortunately.