Our shops need your support
Rowcroft Hospice is calling on its local community to donate good-quality, resalable clothing and other items to its charity shops, as the expense of disposing of unsellable goods continues to escalate. A significant drop in the value of ‘rags’ – clothes that are too worn or damaged to sell – coupled with limits on the volume that textile recyclers will accept, is putting increasing financial pressure on the hospice at a time when demand for its care is greater than ever.
Poor quality donations often cost more than they raise
“We deeply appreciate our local community’s support and receive some wonderful donations,” said Caroline Wannell, Director of Retail at Rowcroft Hospice. “But sadly, the reality is that poor-quality donations often cost the hospice more than they raise. Unsellable items must be responsibly disposed of, leading to significant landfill expenses that are both costly to the hospice and environmentally taxing. Driving the problem for us are plummeting rag prices and recyclers’ reduced capacity to accept as much. Fast fashion has played a huge part in the rag market demise, with only 20% per tonne now fit to reuse, compared to 60% per tonne at its peak. Other factors that are affecting the markets include political instability overseas, shipping costs which have almost trebled over the past 5-year, and exchange rates.”
Like many charities, Rowcroft has traditionally been able to generate substantial income from rag collections – selling worn or damaged clothing to rag merchants for recycling or reuse. However, recent years have seen a dramatic decline in revenue – from £90,000 annually a few years ago to just £3,000 last year – with a projected zero income this year.
Your support is more important than ever
The hospice is gently asking supporters to consider the condition of the items they donate, emphasising that clothing and household goods should be clean, intact, and in good, saleable condition.
“We’re so thankful for the continued kindness and generosity of our supporters,” Caroline added. “With the need for end-of-life care growing and costs rising, the support of our community is more important than ever.”
Rowcroft Hospice provides compassionate end-of-life care to people with life-limiting illnesses across South Devon, supporting families and patients during the most difficult of times. Every item sold in a Rowcroft shop helps to fund this vital work.
Find out more about donating to Rowcroft’s shops
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