Charity shop staff reveal the surprising reason behind recent surge of 'unsellable' donations: 'They aren't really resellable'

A charity in Ireland is sounding the alarm after a recent spike in low-quality clothing donations. 

Donation centers generally rely on contributions from others, but fast fashion is making it harder to accept certain offerings. 

What's happening?

Fast fashion describes a business model many clothing companies use to mass produce stylish (or at least momentarily stylish) clothing at the lowest cost possible. 

Nonprofit organization Oxfam Ireland is open to all donations, but online fast-fashion purchases are having a major impact on the charity. An Oxfam spokesperson said the charity often receives donations with price tags still attached — but with fast fashion, "brand new" doesn't necessarily mean quality.

"Things that have come in from the really big online sellers, that are poorly produced, that are ill-fitting, that don't hold up to washing, then they aren't really resellable," Oxfam Spokesperson Mark Sweeney said, according to Live95. 

Why is talking about fast-fashion donations important?

Fast fashion is a problem for charities and donation centers worldwide.

For example, donations skyrocketed in Southern California following the massive wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in January. The majority of donations received consisted of fast fashion rather than necessities. A lot of the clothing ends up in landfills and negatively impacts the environment.

A whopping 101 million tons of fast-fashion clothing end up in landfills each year, according to Earth.org. Moving forward, the industry's global pollution will likely double by 2030 if fast-fashion waste continues at the same rate.

What's being done about reducing fast fashion?

While fast fashion may seem like the easiest and most affordable option, there are plenty of alternatives that are much more sustainable.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back Letting me trade for new stuff Making it as easy as possible Keeping my stuff out of landfills Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Check out online resale platforms like Depop, Poshmark, and ThredUP. These websites give customers the opportunity to shop and sell various articles of clothing for affordable prices.

More consumers are also educating themselves about greenwashing in an effort to prevent fast fashion.

Greenwashing refers to deceptive branding used to advertise companies as environmentally friendly while that may not be the case. Knowing how to spot these misleading campaigns can help customers save money on products in the long run. 

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