How this Moab thrift store keeps unsellable clothing out of the landfill

Have you ever wondered what WabiSabi does with clothes that just won’t sell? Hint: They don’t go to the landfill.

Clothing items, also known as consumer textiles, which are donated to the thrift store instead go to manufacturers of insulation, flea markets and elsewhere, said General Manager Leah Bear.

Bear said a color coded dot is placed on clothing so staff can track how long garments have been available. Once they’re “on the floor” for a certain amount of time and haven’t sold, they go into one of four onsite shipping containers. On Friday, April 26, the driver of a tractor-trailer skillfully backed into the thrift store’s parking lot on 100 South, one of two such trucks that will pick up thousands of pounds worth of textiles this calendar year.

Bear said three pickups have been ordered in previous years, but WabiSabi has been able to repurpose much of their inventory, such as for events like the annual Trashion Show. A local resident collected over a dozen bags of clothing that went into the construction of a privacy wall and sound blocker in their front yard. “It was inspired by the OHV’s,” said Bear.

When the truck comes the real work begins.

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