25210 Grand River
Redford, MI 48240

Contact: Tonia Cramier
Phone: 313-537-7622
tonia@wtfss.org

www.wtfss.org

Organization’s Mission

People helping People “Break the cycle of poverty”.  Donating and recycling old clothes.

Organization’s Description

When we’re through with clothes or shoes, we typically hold onto them a long, long time — not out of sentimentality, simply for lack of a convenient alternative.

Typically, most of the clothes are in good condition or even “like new” — so they are obviously not garbage material. But I have long suspected that even worn-out garments have life remaining in them. A little investigation shows this is true.

Clothing is one of the most reusable and recyclable products there are. Just get it to an organization or company that accepts old clothes and they will take it from there.

First, there was fast food. Then came fast fashion—clothes so cheap and appealing, they make our wardrobes obese.  With fast fashion, the latest styles are always available because the manufacturing process is so, well, fast. From the time a new look appears on a celeb to the time an affordable version appears at the mall is hardly the blink of an eye.

Wardrobe with a waist/waste problem keeping up demands that we shop more than ever, leading to seriously overstuffed wardrobes. We can’t accommodate the excess so we throw it away—an average of 68 pounds’ worth per person annually.

Let’s put aside the question of how not to buy so much in the first place and address the predicament we’re already in: 68 pounds to discard this year. Forget the garbage. Textiles already comprise four percent of the nation’s solid waste stream, and the absolute amount is growing. Landfill space is expensive and hard to find.
Besides, the clothing can be used again in one form or another. Discarding would be a waste, not just of the material itself, but of the water and energy that went into the manufacturing. No minor thing. Fresh water is a dwindling resource and energy use contributes to global warming, the biggest environmental problem of our times.

Instead, let’s get the full benefit of these resources by using the fabrics to death. Here’s how to play your part: Donate your gently used Business Attire to Ways to Family Self-Sufficiency, Inc. to help ensure everyone has proper clothing to interview or work in.

ONE-MINUTE VERSION: Thanks to fast fashion, the average American now discards 68 pounds of clothing a year, wasting energy, water and landfill space. Find out the best ways to dispose of your old clothes without resorting to the trash.

Testimonials

So many people benefited from this years “Spring into Action” Clothing distribution, this is such a wonderful opportunity, thank you so much”. Yolanda Lewis