Charitable organisations across Aotearoa are facing a growing challenge: a deluge of donated clothing that, far from being a boon, is often soiled, damaged, and ultimately destined for the landfill, shifting a problem rather than solving it, according to sector leaders. The cost of disposing of unusable items is a significant burden for these groups, prompting calls for greater public awareness and systemic change, including the development of a national fabric recycling infrastructure.
Wastage, as one charity figure noted, represents one of the most substantial costs for non-profit retailers. “It’s quite a sizeable cost and all of us community-wide, you know, want to reduce landfill and wastage,” she stated, emphasizing a collective desire to minimise environmental impact. “I would say it would be great if that social responsibility is considered by all parties.” The sentiment is echoed by images from places like The Koha Shop in Kaikohe, which has received donations of soiled clothing, illustrating the tangible problem faced by op shops.
The need for a cohesive national strategy is becoming increasingly apparent. According to Ms. Crichton, support from both local and central government is crucial to establish a fabric recycling resource within New Zealand. “As a nation, that’s probably one of our biggest opportunities. To take responsibility and find solutions within our own country,” she said, suggesting that currently, “there are people out there that are exporting fabric waste.”
Fashion commentator Saffron Kingan offered a frank assessment of public donation habits, suggesting that for many, it’s a way to offload unwanted items without confronting the waste they are creating. “People often think of donating as a sort of cheat, a good thing they were doing when most of the time they were just passing on the problem,” Ms. Kingan explained. “Certainly on a global scale this is very true with second-hand clothing exports. Most people ‘donate’ clothing that they would not pass along to friends, nor buy themselves, but it’s guilt-free disposal when it’s to an op shop!”
Ms. Kingan argues that donation should be a last resort, not a primary method of disposal, particularly as it can perpetuate a misleading view of a circular clothing economy. “Very few are repairing or repurposing, and lots of clothing isn’t fit for the next person due to initial poor quality,” she added. This issue, she believes, is intrinsically linked to the rise of cheap, fast fashion. “This also stems from the idea that clothing should be cheap – I often hear that op shops have tops the same price that they are new at like Kmart, which is an issue because clothing shouldn’t be that cheap. It’s not going to encourage looking after things or buying second hand when that’s the case.”
Despite these challenges, organisations like the Salvation Army express gratitude for all contributions. A spokesperson for the organisation acknowledged that some items cannot be sold for various reasons, describing this as “part of the business of gratefully receiving people’s used items.” They also noted that “disposal costs are a very small percentage of our overall business and the money raised from goods sold in our store has helped save over 12 million items from going to landfill,” highlighting the positive impact of their retail operations. However, the underlying concerns about unmanageable waste and the need for broader solutions continue to resonate throughout the charitable sector.