I need an opinion -- thrift stores and depriving people

**Early Bird** · 12-13-2005, 11:58 AM

Long story, brace yourself:

DH was putting on one of his nice Lands' End pullovers to wear to work.

"The mediums are too small," he said. "I better give them all away."

Now these are wonderful sweaters, in great shape.

"Give it to ME!" I said. "I'll unravel it for the YARN."

(If you've priced yarn lately, you might know what I mean. The cheapest wool sock yarn I've found would cost $6 to make one pair of socks. A sweater probably has enough good yarn for 3 or 4 pairs of wool socks!)

DH replied, "We can buy all the yarn you need. This sweater will keep someone warm this winter."

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Well, I took the sweater to the thrift store. It got put on the rack immediatly. While I was browsing, a young family bought it. (The dad looked the right size for the sweater.)

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So, is DH right? Am I depriving someone else when I buy thrift store items? Especially to destroy and reconstruct into another project?

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OTOH, I see some people at the thrift store grabbing everything nice. I'm sure THOSE people have their own store for reselling their thrift store finds at a profit.

For example, I once was at a garage sale. A middle-aged man, in work clothes had arrived at the sale before it opened. He told the owner, "I'll take this!" "I'll take this!" "I'll take this!" Then he loaded it all up and drove off. Brisk and efficient. Almost brusque. I THINK it was the same man I saw at the thrift store. Literally grabbing the good stuff (a set of linens, when I saw him), and moving on. Again, brisk. Efficient. So different from the way most people were shopping. He had a LOT when he checked out.

Somehow, I don't mind depriving HIM of a good deal. But I'm glad the young family bought the sweater.

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Anyway, I have a thrift store sweater that I bought for me. It doesn't fit right, so I offered it to DH. THEN I noticed that the yarn --- weight and fibre composition -- is JUST RIGHT for sock yarn.

If it doesn't fit DH, do I donate it back ... to keep someone warm? Or do I try to unravel it to knit socks with?

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I'd appreciate any/all insights. I don't want to keep nice things from the needy. OTOH, I don't want to give up my bargains to someone who's just out for profit.

**Pepper** · 12-13-2005, 12:05 PM

First of all, thank God that your husband has such compassion!

Second, I don't think buying things from a thrift store or keeping things that you could give away to reuse is a bad thing.

Thrift stores are full of clothes. If you really go through every piece on every rack, you would be in the store for quite awhile! At least with the ones here, they are all very good sized! There are plenty of clothes on those racks to take care of many peoples needs. Whatever those needs may be....

So please do not fell "guilty" for buying something and then using it for a different purpose!

JMHO

**daddys3chicks** · 12-13-2005, 12:07 PM

That is a tough one. The only real thrift store we have is the Goodwill and it gets cherry picked all the time for the good stuff. That being said there are a lot of items available to those in need. I don't think you are necessarily depriving anyone by being thrifty and reusing yarn from a sweater.

We have a huge church yard sale every year and the people who shop it for the most part are people who could not have nice things otherwise. But, a lot of our members hold a yard sale before they donate to the church. Is that wrong - trying to make a little off of things you have purchased? I think it is kind of in the same category.

As for getting items to those who really need them there are agencies you can contact. Our church has a clothes closet and the people who get clothes there must be referred by a social worker. This eliminates those who are trying to just get something for nothing (not that there is anything wrong with that!). Also, there are several agencies here that can be contacted when we want to help.

Last year our Sunday School class got the name of a woman from a local church agency. She was a single mom, also supporting her mother who was disabled. She was just making enough to pay the bills, but not have Christmas. We were able to meet her specific needs by getting food and presents.

I guess that is my rambling way of saying I don't think you should feel guilty at all! Your reusing the yarn is probably not making a big dent in items that are there for those in need.

**i.m.cheap** · 12-13-2005, 12:15 PM

We give plenty to the thrift store. We buy most of our clothes there too. I say use the yarn to make socks. Maybe by taking one sweater out of "circulation" you are insuring the someone that works in the garment factory the makes the Land's End sweaters get to continue working. There are always many different ways to look at something. On the other hand, I LOVE to find Land's End items in the thrift shop! I found a ribbed-knit pullover for dd from Land's End in the DAV a week ago for 37¢!!!! It is perfect, and she loves it. We are definately one of the families that benefit from your (and other's) thrift store donations.

**PrairieRose** · 12-13-2005, 12:48 PM

I know of a thrift store in my area that actually throws a LOT of good, very good clothes away b/c they get too many. I wouldn't feel a bit guilty. The point is for the article to go to good use. It shouldn't matter or it doesn't to me, how so or whom by.....if you kwim. As long as it's being saved from the landfill that's the important thing.

**ChristineLynne** · 12-13-2005, 01:12 PM

Well, if you take that idea to its logical conclusion, anything you own or spend money on that is beyond your most basic needs is "depriving" the needy of money or goods you could otherwise give them.

I do think we have an obligation to help those in need. However, I don't think we must live at a bare subsistence level, in the smallest house possible, without any extras, in order to free up money to donate to the poor.

There are programs that serve the truly needy, and ask for some proof of indigence. If you tried to pretend you were needy to take advantage of these programs, you would be doing something wrong. However, thrift stores are open to the public, and presumably use your money to continue operating, or even to fund initiatives to help the needy. Moreover, your possessions belong to you - just because you find a different way of using them doesn't mean you really ought to give them away.

**kaykwilts** · 12-13-2005, 01:21 PM

The local thrift stores where I live (Salvation Army, Goodwill and a local church run one) get more clothes than they can handle. I have seen the back room where they sort the clothes and it is bags and bags of clothes to the ceiling so no you should not feel guilty or made to feel guilty if you want to unravel a sweater to make a pair of socks. The church one thrift store will put the clothes on a rack on the front porch for free if they have not sold after a while.

Now you should feel guilty if you just throw the article of clothing away in the dumpster instead of donating or putting it to good use for yourself by unraveling the yarn.

**Valerie in WA** · 12-13-2005, 02:36 PM

I believe that while we should be generous, we should also be good stewards with that which has been entrusted to us. I would've made the socks. I also do not donate clothing to thrift stores, but directly to a clothing bank, where it is given freely to the truly needy. What if I had bought that sweater? I could afford to buy it new (not that I would). So where does that leave you?

**Emerald_Mommy** · 12-13-2005, 03:36 PM

I applaud you for actually being able to make your own socks!

I agree, as long as it's not taking up space in a dump, any use is good. I wouldn't fault you either way. JMO.

**Early Bird** · 12-13-2005, 03:49 PM

Thanks everyone!

First, I buy a LOT of my things at that thrift store (I'm not just a donor). And I get some wonderful bargains!

Second, I don't knit my own socks ... yet. I'm a struggling beginner sock knitter.

Finally, thanks all of you for your perspectives. Yes, DH is sometime ultra-compassionate. And I LOVE getting bargains, even if I can afford to buy new yarn.

**Michele Annette** · 12-13-2005, 03:55 PM

I think you have the right to keep what you have already for another purpose. I agree that giving the item to someone that may need it is a very good deed, but you have the right to keep the sweater and use the yarn for socks. I also agree that wool and wool socks are expensive. We buy them. I don't knit...yet. But If I had a sweater and wanted to crochet the yarn into something different I don't see anything wrong with that at all.

**dina** · 12-13-2005, 04:11 PM

I have worked for non-profits and IMHO most are not very responsible when it comes to spending the money donated to them. So in general I do not give donations of things the organization will sell to make money.

When I donate clothing I look for groups that give clothing to the poor -- not sell it. Most of my clothing donations go to the local Rescue Mission. If I hear of someone in need I sometimes give directly to that person.

I do sometimes cut up clothing for use in quilts, but most of what I use is in such bad shape not even the poor would want it. If it's in really good condition I would pass it on to someone who could use it as clothing.

**seatosea** · 12-13-2005, 08:33 PM

I know of a thrift store in my area that actually throws a LOT of good, very good clothes away b/c they get too many. I wouldn't feel a bit guilty. The point is for the article to go to good use. It shouldn't matter or it doesn't to me, how so or whom by.....if you kwim. As long as it's being saved from the landfill that's the important thing.
I agree with Lisa.

**canadian gardener** · 12-14-2005, 10:16 AM

ITA with the above ladies.

While it is yours, you own it, you can use it any way you please. When you decide to donate, you donate what you decide. Again it's up to you.

Blessings on both of you for having such sensitivity and compassion that you would give it such thought though.

**Darlene** · 12-14-2005, 10:45 AM

Originally posted by Michele Annette
I think you have the right to keep what you have already for another purpose. I agree that giving the item to someone that may need it is a very good deed, but you have the right to keep the sweater and use the yarn for socks. I also agree that wool and wool socks are expensive. We buy them. I don't knit...yet. But If I had a sweater and wanted to crochet the yarn into something different I don't see anything wrong with that at all.