[greenyes] Re: Textile Recycling

[JRay3@no.address]

Used clothing, technically known as "Rags" can be an excellent niche material 
for many community recycling programs, and support a vital network of 
used-clothing merchants in the developing world.  (Many people are surprised to learn 
that it's illegal for charities to carry clothing into Mexico for donation 
purposes, as the practice competes with legitimate micro-businesses!)  Rag 
prices for 20 ton lots have varied from 2-14 cents per pound over the past decade, 
and rags are super-easy to bale in a vertical or non-shearing horizontal baler 
(use cardboard headers). If your area has only small thrift stores, they 
probably aren't baling their rags, and may not have sufficient storage space.  In 
the late 90's I found a profitable partnership in accepting surplus rags from 
local Salvation Army thrifts, and selling the baled truckload lots through 
brokers and sorters.  In our (University town) recycling program, Rags quickly 
grew to outweigh plastics, magazines, phonebooks, and even steel cans.
Bernie Brill of the Council for Textile Recycling was an excellent source of 
referrals:  http://www.textilerecycle.org/ 

Check references on these brokers, and don't be afraid to ask for some 
up-front money on the first load, because there have been a lot of disconnected 
phones and dubious downgrades in this niche of the recycling industry.  It's 
almost standard to get a call right after the buyer receives the load saying that 
some of the clothes were damp or 'smell musty', and therefore they can only pay 
half of what was offered...  Take photos and other steps to document the 
quality of your product.

Good Luck, 
Jay Donnaway