Trash to Treasure

This is where much of it starts, just before the end of the line so to speak. There is a major donation distribution/sorting warehouse a couple of blocks from my home. All the "premium" items are racked and priced in the back rooms and then sent on to the retail thrift stores. The "leftovers" are brought out in big bins to this front room for the "pickers" to cull out anything useable before the next destination...which is the landfill or big recyclers I presume.

I truly felt like a "bag lady" the first time I came here. There are several regular pickers, each with their own preference of things they fancy. When the fresh bins come out the pickers reach in and pull out armloads of clothes, throw them up on to the sorting table and then, lickety split...pull out what they want and toss it into their cardboard shopping bin. It all happens so fast! You have to be fast and not shy about getting into the fray. I like the 100% linen items and don't mind things with imperfections which no one else wants so no one minds when I reach in and pull something out of the action.

I think it's interesting to understand the supply chain process for thrift items. It's like knowing where the oranges come from before they get to the grocery store and how that all happens. You know they didn't just "appear" out of nowhere! There is always a story behind any product. This is part of the story behind items that are re-cycled and re-styled into eco-fashion. Just thought you'd like to know (smile).

At this place I pay by the pound for clothes and linens and by the piece for components like belts and purses from which I harvest leather pieces, hardware and straps to incorporate into my "new" bags. I could buy all those items new with a lot less effort but that would not be as interesting nor would that be in line with my mission to keep useable items out of the landfill.

There is a lot of time and labor that goes on behind the scenes to rescue materials! I do want to mention that I have to absolutely LOVE a piece and see great things for it before deciding to bring it home. Not everything makes the cut. After the lucky items get bailed out from certain doom, they ride home with me and get a nice warm sudsy bath in the washer. Then, all fresh and sparkly again - they are ready to be re-made into something "new" again which will hopefully be treasured by a new owner for years to come.