Charity organisations need high-quality clothing. 'not rubbish'

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Quality second-hand clothing is becoming too expensive for low-income families as op-shopping becomes more popular, says a marketing expert at the University of Otago

Associate Professor Lisa McNeill, who specialises in innovation and new product development, says the quality of donated clothing at charity shops such as The Salvation Army and the Red Cross is often poor and not particularly functional for people who need it. However, the prices of clothing that last longer have increased, becoming more exclusive to high-end thrift store and is a "middle-class luxury".

"Take an analogy of a family with three school-aged children; they need quality clothing like jerseys or shoes, but these products aren't necessarily available because we tend to donate clothing to charities that is of a low quality," she says.

"It's all very nice being able to go to a boutique store and say you're sustainable, but it's not realistic for many people. I'd like to see a lot less rubbish go into charity shops."

McNeill says the low-quality clothing that gets donated then adds a cost for the charities that need to sort through it.

"Consider the costs to retailers who have to deal with the stuff they can't sell. They deal with garments that are damaged and can't be repaired, and it builds into their pricing."

She would like to see New Zealand consumers be considerate and conscious when donating items. She says consumers should be encouraged to buy New Zealand-made, sustainable and quality clothing if they are buying brand new and donate clothes to charity if they no longer have any use for them.

"The best product is the one with the longest life cycle".

The Salvation Army's national Family Store manager, Gareth Marshall says there's a perception that prices at op-shops have increased but it's pricing that's set by the market.

He says there is a perception of increased prices, potentially influenced by what he calls a growing 'professionalism' of the Family Stores.

"Demand is high at the moment as people are struggling," Marshall says.