What
does the box look like?
How big is the box?
What color is the box?
What kind of ground does it
need?
How often do you pick up
the clothes?
What do you do with all
of the clothes?
Do you sell all of the clothes?
Are you a for-profit or
non-profit?
Charities (like Goodwill Industries and the Salvation Army) probably don't
like that you collect the clothes they would otherwise get, right?
What are
my benefits from having a box on my property?
How
much do I have to pay to have a box on my property?
Will a container give
me more business?
What if I want a box removed?
What if one day there is a big mess around the box--can you come and pick
up?
Don't
you think people will steal or vandalize the box?
Are your boxes insured?
Am I going
to be responsible for any loss or damage?
How much clothing do you
collect?
Are you
afraid that people will throw trash in the box?
Do you bolt the box into
the ground?
How will people know you have put up a box--do you advertise?
Do you collect
other items such as furniture?
Do you have
information I can give to my customers?
Q: What
does the box look like?
A: Click here to
see pictures of our boxes.
A: We have different sizes to suit different locations, from 5' by 4' square and 6' tall to 6' by 5' and 6' tall.
A: Our boxes are white.
Q: What kind of ground does it need?
A: The box stands fine on concrete, asphalt, grass, or dirt.
Q: How often do you pick up the clothes?
A: That depends on the location. Sometimes it is weekly, but we like to maintain a daily monitoring and emptying schedule when a multiple bin route applies.
Q: What do you do with all of the clothes?
A: We resell the clothes for export, for recycling, or--to a lesser extent--for sale in US thrift stores. Once we sell them, usually the clothes will be sorted into more than 200 categories according to quality, wear and tear, season, etc...,so that each piece is carefully put to the best use.
Q: Do you sell all of the clothes?
A: Yes, all the clothes are sold. We get paid by the pound. In that way we can provide your local community with a new and splendid recycling opportunity at no charge. There is a well established used clothing and rag business in the U.S., which has bought clothes from for-profit as well as non-profit organizations for decades. For For more information go to : www.textile-recycle.com.
Q: Are you a for-profit or non-profit?
A: We are a for-profit company. Our mission is twofold: to serve our site hosts and improve the environment.
A: We do not see Goodwill or the Salvation Army as competitors, and we do not want to collect the clothes they are already taking care of. The fact is that less than 15% of the clothes which are sold are collected again for recycling afterwards. 85% end up in landfills, which is a pity. There is enough to collect. People who normally give to charities will probably continue doing so, because they still support their causes, or they appreciate the tax-receipt they get. In our view, these people must certainly continue to do so. We are targeting people who do not find these options convenient enough and therefore don't recycle all their clothes.
Q: What are my benefits from having a box on my property?
A: If we put up a box on your property, you will indeed visibly support the environment, and that will show--it will continue to your "environment-friendly" image. By putting up a box, you will provide a good and appreciated service to your customers and maybe attract some extra business.
Q: How much do I have to pay to have a box on my property?
A: Nothing.
Q: Will a container give me more business?
A: We cannot guarantee so, but normally about 30% of the people in the neighborhood will come to the box to deposit clothes one or more times during the year. This could mean new customers.
Q: What if I want a box removed?
A: If you one day decide that you do not want the box any longer, for whatever reason, we will pick it up within 72 hours. It is solely your decision.
Q: What if one day there is a big mess around the box--can you come and pick up?
A: Yes. If anyone calls to report a trash problem around one of your boxes, we will come and pick it up. Each bin should be monitored each day, so that should not be an issue. Believe us, we want to avoid trash problems as much as you do. Our whole program has been designed to avoid trash: the design of the bin, the empting schedule, the daily service, etc.. Luckily, our program works, so it is very seldom that we have to make emergency pick-ups.
Q: Don't you think people will steal or vandalize the box?
A: We have never had a stolen box. The box is very heavy and contains only used clothing. The special chute makes it impossible to take anything out of the container, once it is in. Very seldom do we see any of our boxes vandalized, thanks to the design and decoration. A few times we have had graffiti on one of the boxes but we deal with that within 24 hours - just call!
A: Yes, are boxes are fully insured.
Q: Am I going to be responsible for any loss or damage?
A: No. By putting up a box, we are responsible for whatever happens to the box. The box is covered by our insurance.
Q: How much clothing do you collect?
A: A box often generates 300-500 pounds of clothes per week.
Q: Are you afraid that people will throw trash in the box?
A: The overwhelming majority use the box for what it is intended to for. Normally less than 1% of the box contains trash, which is no problem at all.
Q: Do you bolt the box into the ground?
A: Normally we do not bolt the box into the ground or a wall, but you can do so if you desire. The box weighs at least 700 pounds and is constructed in a way that it stands "securely".
Q: How will people know you have put up a box--do you advertise?
A: The box itself provides the advertisement, just by being there. We also leave flyers on the counter of the businesses so that customers can read why the box is there.
Most boxes will need a few weeks to become productive, but after a few months the boxes will become well known and widely used. We do occasionally put notices in local papers, distribute flyers door to door in the neighborhood--and the local media will most likely make notice of it as well.
Q: Do you collect other items such as furniture?
A: No. If someone has large items, like furniture, we will refer them to Goodwill Industries, Purple Heart, Salvation Army, or another organization who deals with such household items.
Q: Do you have information I can give to my customers?
A: We have flyers for your customers and will keep our hosts informed with a newsletter.