What happens to the abundance of clothes, toys, books and appliances donated to Goodwill and other charitable organizations? While people may believe that their unwanted stuff will find new homes in the community, the reality is that drop-off is often the first stop in a global and mostly hidden multibillion-dollar industry.
"In 2015, Americans tossed out 24.1 billion pounds of furniture and furnishings," writes Adam Minter (Junkyard Planet). Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale dives into this marketplace of excess by exploring some of the socio-economic reasons for its existence: the KonMari decluttering craze, minimalist living trends and adult children with little interest in their parents' "brown furniture," as observed by professionals specializing in "home cleanouts" after a death or downsizing.
Manufacturers also play a critical role, with questionable product expiration dates, marketing gimmicks and lifespan claims. The phenomenon of "fast fashion"--trendy clothing produced rapidly and sold cheaply--has grown; younger generations reportedly wear an item only between one and six times before it is tossed away.
Armed with an investigative journalism background as a Bloomberg reporter, Minter interviews and observes dozens of buyers, sorters, cutters and shippers while tracking the journey of the approximately four million tons of used clothes exported around the world each year. Secondhand details an intricate and diverse network of operations spanning the United States, Canada, West Africa, India, Asia and many other points along the way. In an accessible and engaging style, this book unravels the complexities of a vast yet mostly hidden and often secretive enterprise of used clothes and goods. --Melissa Firman, writer at melissafirman.com