Can We Talk 2

Recycling old underclothes

         I think it was Martha Stewart who said most women don't go through their underwear drawers often enough. How true. We adult women need to go through those drawers with a trash can handy! No one needs to hold undies until they're threadbare.

         Anything with stretched out elastic needs to go. Missing snaps or hooks indicate it's time to discard. If it's new, and you can sew, you might replace hardware, but usually, these mishaps only happen to something past its prime. Martha tells us we need to recycle old bras. You have to remove the hardware and mail the items to a recycling company; she lists several. I don't have the postage, but if you belong to a club or group of friends, you can join together and save on shipping and still have a clear conscience. They use the parts for carpet padding. The fabric gets shredded up, treated and formed with many other scraps. No one looks underneath the carpet to the padding. This effort saves the landfills and the use of new chemicals.

         You can make donations of usable decent looking undergarments to homeless shelters of clothing centers. This is helpful for people who have changed sizes, up or down, like a teen who has outgrown her training bra. I volunteer at a center which caters primarily to homeless and others down on their luck. We get lots of smaller bras in excellent shape. On the other hand, no one wants a used thong! No matter how lacy or see through, no one wants to handle much less wear something that has been in someone's butt crack. Not may people still use slips, but they may be donated along with camisoles, as long as all straps are okay and no threads are dangling.

         If making donations, the rules are rips, stains, or played out elastic means "Throw away". Thongs, even if only tried on or worn once, "Throw away". Panties or boxers, if ever worn, "Throw away". If a multi-pack was bought and opened, but never all used, donate. That happens when the wrong size is purchased. Thermal underwear is okay, as long as they still have their shape and no stains.

         Nightgowns and pajamas are like thermals. They should not look frayed or worn thin or be stained. Used socks are okay, if they do not have holes or yellow or brown soles, particularly thermal socks. Homeless people walk all over town and need warm feet. Like the ad says on TV, socks and underwear are the most requested items. I have helped many men find the right size shorts or boxers and some white socks.

         So ladies, go through your drawers first, then your husband's, then the kids. Condense what you have. Then treat yourself to a new undergarment. Don't over shop; how many do you really need? But there is no crime in getting something new at least once in a while. Many women go for years without new panties of bras. Give yourself a break.

         At the shelter where I work one day a week, we also help refugees who are settling in our town and may not speak good English. People in every language need shoes, belts, underwear, and coats. We allow shoppers of all backgrounds without any questions about finances. People with referrals from churches, shelters, or Offender groups get free clothes, but we keep records for a year's total per person. Others pay cash by the bag full, not per item.