Lionel Ritchie
01/12/2005, 12:36 PM
In my wee suburb of Limerick city we're now averaging two flyers and binbags packets through the door a week looking for old clothes to be left out for various charities and some who don't even claim to be charities at all.
The flyers variously claim that the clothes will be distributed to the poor of eastern Europe/Africa/Asia OR that they will be sold to folks in those regions who can't afford new clothing OR that they'll be sold in unspecified markets and the profits will be used for various charitable purposes.
I saw a documentary earlier this year that suggested this practice is of dubious merit for non local charities and may be just facilitating profiteering off the backs of others misery.
As part of the programme I saw (sorry can't remember name -it involved a bunch of fashion students from london making a garment that included locally produced fabrics from 4 continents or something.) they visited Uganda I believe it was where it showed container loads of these clothes arriving fro Europe and being literally 'dumped' on the local markets. Not only were the clothes frequently mingin' -the practice was totally decimating any indigenous market for new clothing. They visited the local 'Mike Baldwin' who's clothing factory had previously employed 120-odd and he was down to 27 employees and expected to close soon.
Surely this can't be a good thing?
Anyone else have any experience -good or bad of this phenomena?:confused:
The flyers variously claim that the clothes will be distributed to the poor of eastern Europe/Africa/Asia OR that they will be sold to folks in those regions who can't afford new clothing OR that they'll be sold in unspecified markets and the profits will be used for various charitable purposes.
I saw a documentary earlier this year that suggested this practice is of dubious merit for non local charities and may be just facilitating profiteering off the backs of others misery.
As part of the programme I saw (sorry can't remember name -it involved a bunch of fashion students from london making a garment that included locally produced fabrics from 4 continents or something.) they visited Uganda I believe it was where it showed container loads of these clothes arriving fro Europe and being literally 'dumped' on the local markets. Not only were the clothes frequently mingin' -the practice was totally decimating any indigenous market for new clothing. They visited the local 'Mike Baldwin' who's clothing factory had previously employed 120-odd and he was down to 27 employees and expected to close soon.
Surely this can't be a good thing?
Anyone else have any experience -good or bad of this phenomena?:confused: