Environment
Flood of clothes in Saxony-Anhalt – what to do with old clothes?
From trash heaps to treasures: How second-hand shops and clothing bins in Magdeburg struggle with second-hand clothes – and what every donation can achieve.
What does this have to do with clothes you no longer need? In Saxony-Anhalt there are many offers for second-hand clothes – from clothing bins and second-hand shops to clothing stores and flea markets. Magdeburg charity shop “Zweimalschön” shows how important second-hand goods are.
The store belongs to the German Clothing Foundation, which has been around for 70 years, reports store manager Sibylle Eikel. When it became clear how much high-quality clothing was ultimately being donated, the foundation decided to open a thrift store about 15 years ago. There are now two branches of “Zweimalschön” in Saxony-Anhalt, one in Halle and another in Magdeburg. The basic idea: accept donations, resell high-quality items, and use the rest for aid projects. Proceeds will go to orphanages, aid transportation to Eastern Europe, disaster relief, and other social projects.
How does the system work?
Every day, 10 to 15 bags of clothes end up at the Magdeburg branch, the branch manager said. Nearly 40 volunteers supported Eikel in fishing the real treasure out of the sack. But only a small portion makes it to market: “Out of 15 bags, maybe two are suitable for the store.” The reason: The quality of clothing has been declining for years – a result of the fast fashion industry flooding the market with cheap but short-lived items.
Saxony-Anhalt German Red Cross (DRK) clothing stores, such as “rot couture,” which recently opened in Halle, also focus on sustainability. According to spokesperson Antje Wimmler, the function is similar to a thrift store, but is non-profit. Used clothes can be dropped off there. And everyone can shop there, regardless of income.
Clothing rooms and association containers are also available. “Every worthy clothing donation will support people in need and safeguard our local social offerings,” Wimmler stressed. It is estimated that several tonnes of used clothing are collected across DRK locations in Saxony-Anhalt each year. However, buyers such as crowdfunding institutions are increasingly at risk of bankruptcy, Wimmler explained. Therefore, it is increasingly difficult for non-profit organizations like the DRK to hand over old textiles that can no longer be used.
Use wardrobes and clothing bins
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Anyone wishing to donate worn-out clothing in Saxony-Anhalt can also use the Malta helpline location. Pants, skirts, etc. can be taken to a clothing store or thrown into a container. It should be undamaged and clean, he said. So far this year, around 324 tons of second-hand clothing have been collected in Malta aid service containers in Saxony-Anhalt. The proportion of waste has increased significantly. As a result, clothes that should be given to people in need often cannot be used anymore. “The proportion of clothing that can no longer be recycled is between 10 and 20 percent,” said spokesperson Mandy Börner-Hannemann.
Send a package or visit a flea market
The German Clothing Foundation offers another alternative: consumers across the country can send donation packages to a central warehouse in Helmstedt. “This is also a good option for people in villages who have nowhere to go,” explains Sibylle Eikel in Magdeburg. According to Markus Böck, the collected textiles were brought to Helmstedt by the German Clothing Foundation and sorted there. Depending on suitability, the clothes will be sent to project sites run by the German Clothing Foundation or sold in charity shops to fund aid transport.
Thomas Szymkowiak of the Dresden Project Center organizes events such as the evening flea market in Magdeburg. It is held several times a year at the Magdeburg Fair, and everyone can sell their used goods there. Evening flea markets are now held nationwide. According to information, an average of 3,000 to 4,000 visitors come to the market in Magdeburg – around 250 stands fit in three exhibition halls.
Sell used clothes from online sellers
Online provider Kleinanzeigen alone has more than one million second-hand clothing ads in Saxony-Anhalt in the last twelve months, as announced by spokesperson Fiona Kleinert. Women’s and men’s fashion, shoes and baby and children’s clothing are also taken into account. If we compare this figure with the number of active sellers in the fashion category, the state ranks fourth in the national comparison, ahead of Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bavaria.
Damaged clothes should be put in the black bin, stresses Sybille Eikel from the Magdeburg magazine “Zweimalschön”. “A container is not a trash can.” The pile of clothes grows rapidly every year. However, according to Eikel, everyone can help reduce the size of this mountain. Through conscious donations, sustainable shopping, and knowing where the clothes are.
dpa
