Imagine finding new clothing in the trash just waiting for you. Such a surprise awaited one Redditor living in Copenhagen, Denmark. They posted several photos of a new Shein hoodie — covered in silly smiley face designs — found unopened in the garbage. While the design isn't everyone's cup of tea, a gift to someone on a tight clothing budget can help them save money and keep warm.
The title makes a bold statement regarding "the world we're living in: A completely new piece of clothing, still inside the packaging, thrown out in the garbage."
The face-adorned hoodie could have found a home in charities that donate to children and families or the homeless. According to the Borgen Project, homelessness in Denmark has increased by 33% in the past decade.
Trasborg is a leading clothing recycling company operating throughout Scandinavia and exports items as far as Africa and the Middle East. Their outreach includes donations to Denmark's disadvantaged children.
Unfortunately, new apparel dumped in trash heaps is more common than some people may think. Fast-fashion brands, known for cheap but poorly made clothing with a short lifespan, are responsible for 92 million tonnes (101 million tons) of garments wasting away in landfills instead of becoming upcycled fabric, according to Earth.org. That may explain why the Redditor also bluntly posts the tagline including the words "f*** fast fashion."
If an ugly shirt makes its way under your Christmas tree this year, you can always cash it in at places like Trashie. You can also put your creative juices to use and upcycle it into quilts, pillowcases, bags, or scarves.
What are some theories about the disregarded hoodie in the comments? One commenter believes "someone stole a package from outside someone else's home and didn't want what ended up being inside."
A retail worker sadly admitted, "We throw unused in box items that have been sitting in store on clearance away all the time, by policy."
Commenters on the post were skeptical of the find.
🗣️ Should it be illegal to throw away old clothes?
🔘 Heck yes 👍
🔘 No way 👎
🔘 I'm not sure 🤷
🔘 Only if it's free to recycle them 🤌
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"I'd be worried about bedbugs," one warned.
"It's from Shein, that's where it belongs," said another.
"Multiple reasons to throw that in the trash," commented a third.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
