Join our family of curious Kansas Citians

Discover unheard stories about Kansas City, every Thursday.

Thank you for subscribing!

Check your inbox, you should see something from us.

Sign Me Up
Hit enter to search or ESC to close

Clothing donation bins have varying levels of local impact

Share this story
Sponsor Message Become a Flatland sponsor
1 minute read

Kansas Citians have many options when it comes to donating used clothes, but the most convenient option is often the ever-present clothing donation bin. While running errands, it’s not uncommon to pass a dozen of these bins, all owned by different companies: Disabled American Veterans, Planet Aid and Resolution Reuse are just a few of those available in KC. Hale Center for Journalism reporter John McGrath investigated the differences between these bins, focusing on which bins make a local impact.

The second-hand clothing industry is worth more than $1 billion worldwide, according to a study commissioned by Oxfam. Research conducted at King’s College London indicates that the United States is the world’s largest exporter of second-hand clothing, even though, according to the National Resources Defense Council, each American throws away — and doesn’t recycle — 68 pounds of clothing annually. Altogether, this means that Americans and Kansas Citians have a ton of clothes that need to be recycled.

Resolution Reuse is a local for-profit company highlighted in the video piece. It purchases second-hand clothing from local charities and resells them to other companies, some overseas. McGrath visited the company’s warehouse to see how clothes are stored and sorted.


Tags:

Like what you are reading?

Discover more unheard stories about Kansas City, every Thursday.

Thank you for subscribing!

Check your inbox, you should see something from us.

Enter Email
Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting. Support Local Journalism
Sponsor Message Become a Flatland sponsor

Ready to read next

KC Week in Review: 'Khamun in': A sneak peek at Union Station's biggest exhibit ever

Read Story

Leave a Reply