In the United States, no matter where you go in it, the amount of clothing consumption is high. In fact, the rate at which we consume clothes has increased dramatically and is truly a modern phenomenon.
Unfortunately, this dramatic increase in the consumption of clothing and textile materials often also results in a considerable amount of waste products. Per person in the United States, there is on average more than eighty pounds of textile waste in just one year and the average person throws away around ten pounds of clothing a year. Added all up, this number is nearly insurmountable and unthinkable. Much of these textiles find themselves in landfills, creating a negative impact on the environment.
There are steps that every person can take that can make a huge impact, however. For example, charitable giving in the form of clothes donations has become ever the more popular among those in the United States. In 2007 alone, for instance, nearly six billion dollars worth of used clothing donations were made to various charitable organizations around the country. In the just over ten years since then, this number has only increased. By 2011, nearly two million tons of used clothing were donated by the end of the calendar year, used for various purposes by charitable organizations.
When deciding where to donate clothing, it is important that you pick a cause that you are in support of. Veterans charities are one such cause. Veterans charities focus on the well being of former military personnel, as veterans often struggle with integrating back into society once they leave the armed forces. Veterans charities will also often provide support to the families of the struggling veterans who are also often struggling alongside them. As nearly eighty percent of all used clothing donations are used for the purpose of helping needy families, veterans charities benefit very much so from the donation of used clothing.
But even if your old and used clothing is no longer in wearable condition or is in any way run down or damaged, it is still better to donate it to a Red Cross clothing pickup than to simply and throw it away, which effectively sends it to a landfill instead of a Red Cross clothing pickup. Donating your out of shape clothing items to a Red Cross clothing pickup will often see them used for more practical purposes. They are often, for instance, cut up and used and industrial rags. Other used clothes may find a second life as the stuffing for various items of furniture such as couches or chairs. Some is even used for insulation in homes and other such structures.
When it comes to charitable donations and a Red Cross clothing pickup, there is a huge benefit to giving charitably. Not only do you now have the sense of doing good in the world, you actively protect our planet as well as give back to your own community. Charity in the form of charitable clothing donations can also benefit your personally, as it allows you to declutter some of your personal space in your home. Giving to the Red Cross at a Red Cross clothing pickup, for instance, provides the essentials to people in need around the clock, as the Red Cross provides services like shelter and clothes at all times of day and is the thirteenth largest charity in the U.S.
If you are struggling to decide what to donate to a Red Cross clothing pickup, look through your closet and determine which articles of clothing you wear regularly. If you find pieces of clothing that have not been worn in more than six months (if you live in a two season climate) or slightly longer (if you live in a four season climate), it is time to get rid of them. So should you also get rid of any clothing that no longer fits properly, even if you are planning on losing weight or vice versa in the near future.
From giving to veterans charities or a Red Cross clothing pickup to saving our environment article of clothing by article of clothing, there are many reasons to donate your used clothes.
