Thrift Store clothing

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I have read this article. It is a terrible law. I live in a neighborhood where many families rely on the thrift stores. They are not shopping thrift for fun or to to fill up their kitchen with even more retro junk like me they are shopping thrift by need. Sometimes it gives them a chance to get better clothes then they would be able to buy new or things like winter jackets clothes for school etc that they would otherwise not be able to afford. All this law will do is cause these people to pay more money for low quality made in china clothing taking more money out of the pockets of struggling american families and filtering that money to China.
 
Oooo! Good idea, Mav! The ONLY thing I like about my newer crock is the larger size.

I'll keep an eye out for the older ones that cook all day without burning stuff (wish I hadn't tossed mine out!)

Lee


I know this thread is not about crockpots but I do agree with you Osis. Tossed mine too and wish I didn't.
 
I have read this article. It is a terrible law. I live in a neighborhood where many families rely on the thrift stores. They are not shopping thrift for fun or to to fill up their kitchen with even more retro junk like me they are shopping thrift by need. Sometimes it gives them a chance to get better clothes then they would be able to buy new or things like winter jackets clothes for school etc that they would otherwise not be able to afford. All this law will do is cause these people to pay more money for low quality made in china clothing taking more money out of the pockets of struggling american families and filtering that money to China.

Yep. I agree with you . How dare the govenment put children's safety first? We should let the thrift stores sell these clothes and let the kids take their chances. If it puts their lives in danger, so what. Right? As long as people can get clothes cheaper than they would have had to pay at retail costs. That's the important thing.

You say all this law will do is cause people to pay more money for low quality clothing... etc. Is this ALL the law will do? Are you just not getting it?

 
If this is so dire an emergency, why are the clothes not being pulled from retail stores right now? And why can't I Google news stories about kids dying from lead poisoning contracted from lead in their clothes? Am I not wording the search right?
This law only prevents new shipments from coming in, but does nothing about the new clothes in retail stores now or warehouses around the country just waiting to be shipped to stores for the summer or even fall line ups.
Also, if lead from the clothes is leaching into peoples skin and causing lead poisoning, why would used clothes be so dangerous? It stands to reason that new clothes would have higher levels of lead in them. As they were used and worn and lead 'supposedly' leached out of them, there would be less left in the clothes.
So why start addressing this epidemic by going after less dangerous used clothing and not the more dangerous new clothing still in the stores?
The law just doesn't make sense, until you stop looking at the safety factor and start looking at the retail factor, IE hey let's not be hasty and do anything about what we already bought and have stored here until we have a chance to sell them first... then let the consumer and thrift stores deal with the fall out.
Children first indeed...
 
Actually, Mav--I have seen a local story on the news. The law would require that second hand shops test the clothing to ensure they are safe. The problem is the cost--the second hand shops don't want to pay and so will most likely close.

As for new clothing, I believe we are looking at Chinese imports more closely now--toys, pet food, people food and now clothing.
 
Actually, Mav--I have seen a local story on the news. The law would require that second hand shops test the clothing to ensure they are safe. The problem is the cost--the second hand shops don't want to pay and so will most likely close.

As for new clothing, I believe we are looking at Chinese imports more closely now--toys, pet food, people food and now clothing.

I agree this is going to cause a lot of these store to close, which is kinda sad because if we just removed all the new clothes from the store and prevented more from being imported, then removed all suspect clothing only from the thrift stores, there shouldn't be any left to cause a problem. As long as they are sorted before hitting the floor, there is no reason why childrens clothes from other places (such as here or Europe) could not continue to be sold.

The problem is that when this law goes into effect thrift stores have to remove all untested childrens clothes.. but what about the retail stores? Are they going to have to remove all untested childrens clothes from their racks as well? Or do they get to continue to sell them even though they may contain lead?
I know right now if I go to my local GoodWill, only about a third of the clothes there that I browse thru are the cheap made in China stuff. The cheap stuff just doesn't last long enough to get donated. But if I go to Target, most of their stuff is made in China.
Therefore, if I assume clothes made in China are unsafe, then Target is much more unsafe to shop at then the Goodwill.
This is what I am trying to get at, this is what concerns me. If I can't get kids clothes at the GoodWill anymore, I have to either take my chances with stuff at Target made in China, or buy the more expensive stuff which I cannot afford to do.
 

These are all new products, what about used products? Thrift stores don't carry new stuff, well sometimes odd new stuff, retail stores do. Shouldn't we be testing all the new made in China stuff in stores now and yanking them like NZ is?
 
Yep. I agree with you . How dare the govenment put children's safety first? We should let the thrift stores sell these clothes and let the kids take their chances. If it puts their lives in danger, so what. Right? As long as people can get clothes cheaper than they would have had to pay at retail costs. That's the important thing.

You say all this law will do is cause people to pay more money for low quality clothing... etc. Is this ALL the law will do? Are you just not getting it?


Well if there is such cause for alarm how about the government seize all existing children's clothes and have a burning...

The whole thing seems rather alarmist considering the small risk of any danger.
 
Did you see how far back some of the articles go? Children's clothes especially are not always worn long and go to second hand quickly because they are outgrown. So, sorry Maverick, I think you are still missing the point.

One needs to deal with both new and used garments from China.

Do you remember about the lead glazing in Chinese dishes and mugs? I still won't buy them.
 
Read about lead and formaldehyde in clothing and the range of symptoms and then tell me that the risk of cancer and rashes etc, is small for children, Pancho.
 
One needs to deal with both new and used garments from China.

I agree, but I don't think this law is really about doing that. That is the point I am making. We are saying no more can come here, we are saying if you can't prove those used clothes are safe you can't sell them, but where are we saying that if you can't prove those new clothes you are selling right now are safe you can't sell them?

Right now retailers don't have to yank products unless the manufacturer tells ask to do so or they are ordered to do so. Same with thrift stores. Same with importers.
After the law, nothing changes for retailers. Thrift stores must now prove it is safe before being allowed to sell it, and importers must now prove it is safe before being allowed to import and sell it.
So what of all the potentially unsafe products currently in the hands of the retailers? Again, seems to me that if this is so dangerous, then why not yank and burn em like Pancho said? Why leave them on the shelves? Where is the mass recall to protect the kids?
Am I missing that part of it?
 
I agree that lead poisoning and formaldehyde is very serious.

I am also glad we are able to discuss this without the politics getting out of control, hard to do since it is centered around a law which is inherently political by nature. I hope it continues this way, a very good and healthy debate, IMHO.

But I am going to just watch for awhile so others will be encouraged to post their opinions as well...
 
Mav, I could care less about the politics of the issue. I am more concerned about learning that more and more products imported from China are dangerous in one way or another to our health. Melanine anyone? formaldehyde? pesticides? dyes? lead poisoning? plastic? I see this as a health and safety issue. Check the dates of the articles, do your own searches--this is not a new problem. We are just waking up and beginning to do something about it.
 
Mav, I could care less about the politics of the issue. I am more concerned about learning that more and more products imported from China are dangerous in one way or another to our health. Melanine anyone? formaldehyde? pesticides? dyes? lead poisoning? plastic? I see this as a health and safety issue. Check the dates of the articles, do your own searches--this is not a new problem. We are just waking up and beginning to do something about it.

I know it is not new. I know it is dangerous. I know it is serious. I know kids are getting sick or dying. What I don't know is why we are not pulling this stuff on the shelves NOW?!?!?!
We are stopping anything from coming here in the future, we are preventing anything that came here in the past from being resold. But we are doing NOTHING about what is already here, already on our shelves, still being sold to consumers, still not being tested.
How is that safe? How is that protecting us? Cause right now my choices within my budget are: Made in China at Target couldn't tell ya if it is dangerous or not; Or, GoodWill to purchase clothing for less money that is not made in China and therefore not suspect.
Which would you choose?
 
Mav, I could care less about the politics of the issue. I am more concerned about learning that more and more products imported from China are dangerous in one way or another to our health. Melanine anyone? formaldehyde? pesticides? dyes? lead poisoning? plastic? I see this as a health and safety issue. Check the dates of the articles, do your own searches--this is not a new problem. We are just waking up and beginning to do something about it.

I wasn't speaking to you directly on that...just making a comment in general.
 
Read about lead and formaldehyde in clothing and the range of symptoms and then tell me that the risk of cancer and rashes etc, is small for children, Pancho.

what I meant was the % of risk is small.in the sense of the % of tainted children's clothes to all existing children's clothes .. if the risk was really great all made in china clothes would be recalled.

This does not do much to get rid of the clothing people will still sell/trade it outside of the stores.

This is one more case of the US consumer getting passed the buck by China. The companies responsible for importing/producing the tainted items should be penalized and have to foot the bill for the testing not American Charities and struggling families.
 
I wanted to say something about the fact that people don't seem to be concerned about their children's safety as long as they can save money.


General observation:

People don't consern themselves with anything that does not benefit them. If something makes things more convenient, saves or makes money there is nothing wrong with it. Cant be. Nope. Nya nyanyanya ... :ROFLMAO:

People, when one on one, are pretty cool. There are very few people who can't understand simple concepts. However when in heard they aren't that bright.

I went looking for lead testing kits, short search, the ones I found are aimed at the home owner, not someone doing multiple samples and assays. It would be labor intensive but probably not that expensive.

Of course there is a simple sollution. Sell no lead replacements, thread and needles at the front register. I know, it's awful of me to expect someone to learn some 8'th grade home Ec.

Next thing you know I'll want these people to quit poisoning their charges with industrial food.

What gets me is, HOW DID LEAD GET INTO THIS COUNTRY IN THE FIRST PLACE? I've go to garage sales and auctions looking for the ever elusive lead pipe dope, and powdered lead for machine building .... It's a fanticy. Mentioning this stuff in a store gets you looked at funy.

I would like to say we've been too lax with regulation with items made in china. We chould make a tarrif on stuff from China to help pay for inspection, monitoring and the replacement of the buttons.

OTOH we in the west have been sending our toxic garbage to China for at least a decade, they use their children to scrap out the 'garbage' and all sorts of nastiness is in their air , food and water. And the Chinese children ingest it.
 
Sorry guys, but I think Pie Susan came closer than anyone to fully understanding the situation. Let me try one more time, then I'm putting this to bed as far as I'm concerned.

The testing is being done on retail shelves now from what I understand. The retailers can afford to do this, the thrift shops can't and won't.

The clothes coming in from China are being TESTED BEFORE they reach the retail stores therefore they will be safe to buy. If they're on the shelves in the next few months they're safe.

Since the clothing in thrift shops was purchased several months or even years ago, they may contain lead.

The reason we don't find lead filled products on our shelves here in America is that lead is OUTLAWED , just like DDT is outlawed here but not in the veggies and fruits coming in from other countries, which by the way is another subject about poisoning.

The clothing itself is not leaching lead, and it can't be washed out even it was. It is the buttons, fasteners, zippers, buckles, etc. made of metal. Metal contains lead. Natural fabrics such as cotton, or wool do not. The child that died was chewing on a button not the clothing itself.

Since adults don't generally chew on their buttons, buckles, etc. this law is aimed at children's clothing. No one can control what a child will put into his mouth.

WE ARE NOT BANNING CLOTHES FROM CHINA WE ARE TESTING THEM AS THEY ARRIVE HERE. THE CHINESE HAVE NO LAWS GOVERNING THE USE OF LEAD, AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER AND OVER IN THE TOYS, ETC. THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED OFF THE RETAIL SHELVES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. (I'm not yelling, I just want to draw attention to that fact.)

The thrift shops are upset about this law because so much of the clothing sold in thrift shops is children's clothing. To pull these items off the racks will diminish thier revenue. It will save lives but nobody seems to give a darn about that. Unlike Suze Orman's saying "People first, then money," the thrift shop owners and consumers alike seem to want to put money first.

I don't shop at thrift shops but as I've said I do understand that many people do. And honestly I do respect the fact that many of you are strapped for cash in this wacky economy. And as a mother, I do understand that kids outgrow clothes in a very short time so buying used clothing is a plus in your case. Just don't buy children's clothing and don't chew on any of your buttons until it's safe to do so.

Is it too much to ask that we protect our kids? Give your arguments against this law to the woman whose child died and to the many others who have gotten lead poisoning. This was not just one case, it was just one case too many. And thank God it didn't happen to your child. Will you still be willing to take that chance?

 
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