Door to Door Clothing Collection "Charities" Good or Bad?

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:

I'll give to the recognisable ones only. Anything else gets returned, and the ones with British numbers get tossed out. Not because they're British per se, but because many of the British ones are scams, and because I'd prefer to support Irish charities.

adam

Free binbags, what's the problem? :D

KOH

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Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

Free binbags, what's the problem? :D

KOH

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Right on!!! Thats what I tend to use most of them for anyway!!!

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Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

Free binbags, what's the problem? :D

KOH

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me too actually:o

but there is a broader point there that I'm sure many people satiate their "first world guilt" by carefully sifting through their old togs and think their making some poor families christmas when they might actually be contributing to someone getting their P45 in some pedro country instead.

I only give to the recognisable charities and then only the ones who are providing the clothing to people here in Ireland or selling them from their charity shops. Some of the dodgy ones only give a mobile number as the contact details FFS.

On a related topic anyone else noticed a lot more Charity junk mail recently in run up to Christmas. I've been getting a good few junk mail from irish & uk charities i've never heard of. I must say some look very dubious & maybe just created to give some people jobs.