Losing Your Rag

**david.elliott** · 3rd December 2013, 12:50 PM

36 years in commercial printing.
Towards the end of my time, the best quality rags we could source, and quality is important for some processes in printing, we were purchasing from a business that was importing by the 40ft container from the US! It was cheaper to do that than buy from a local charity. We paid about $30-40 per 25kg bag.
There was a little bit of junk in there but by and large it was OK. Once we were happy with some we put to one side we could get them washed locally quite reasonably. I still struggle to see how it's 1. financially possible, and be cheaper, and, 2. needed, to import from another first world country.

**Master Splinter** · 3rd December 2013, 07:24 PM

Comparing the prices of a pair of Levi 501 jeans - Australia $80 - $129, US $12-40, so obviously we have much better rags here.

**issatree** · 3rd December 2013, 07:32 PM

Hi jimburr,
I was Repco today, & they have a bag of rags, about ½ a Pillow Slip size for $3.
Wood have to be some good Rags in it?.

**jimbur** · 3rd December 2013, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi jimburr,
I was Repco today, & they have a bag of rags, about ½ a Pillow Slip size for $3.
Wood have to be some good Rags in it?.

When I think of the places I have worked where you just grabbed what you wanted out of sacks

**Mulgabill** · 3rd December 2013, 08:12 PM

When I was working, we used to purchase bags of rags from a supplier who got them from a charity org. On one occasion we pulled from the bag a Sydney Olympic shirt (it look very much like a team issue) with athletes signatures on it. One signature was of Kathy Freeman.
But you are right, there used to also be a lot of poly fibre useless stuff.

**Clinton1** · 7th December 2013, 07:05 PM

This is baled up and sent to , would you believe, New Guinea. From there I have no idea what happens to it.

A lot of poor countries import second hand clothes for re-sale as clothing in the markets. A few $ per kilo (or less) for second hand clothes makes sense for a person earning under $10/day.

What a bunch of tossers we are.... grow cotton, spend money on shipping it as an export to China, spend money shipping it back as buy it back as 'value added' cheap chain store clothes (or worse, as expensive 'label' items) wear it for a few washes, send it to the charity stores, who re-export it to poor countries (spending more $ in shipping costs).
Makes me wonder why I try to cut down on unnecessary trips in the car!

**Avery** · 11th December 2013, 10:32 AM

My local Lifeline op store, which is also the distribution centre for the Central Coast, sorts cuts and bags rags for sale to local industry. They are sorted into categories such as white tee shirts, coloured shirts, towelling etc. etc.. They are sold in 20Kg bags. White T-shirts are $41.00 for 20Kg, toweling is $31.00, flanelette is $36.00.

The samples that I have are are clean and good quality.

Pick up only at Wyoming.

**Bob38S** · 11th December 2013, 10:53 AM

Cotton sheets - put the word out to the family for donations or buy - even the cheapies are good.

I cut them up and store in a 70 Litre plastic rubbish bin in the shed [yes, it was new and has never been used for anything else].

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