Doing Business in a Box

Many donors to USAgain think they're giving to the poor, but the firm sells the clothes that it collects

The Byzantine drop-off rules at Goodwill or the Salvation Army can stymie would-be donors who want to clear their closets of ill-fitting, outdated or frayed clothes. Donation times are often limited to just a few hours on designated weekdays. But there is an alternative: the brightly colored drop boxes that are popping up outside grocery stores and gas stations in nine major cities across the country. The 1,400-odd USAgain bins collected 8 million lbs. of clothing last year. LET YOUR USED CLOTHES GET A SECOND LIFE, reads a sign on these checkered boxes, all of which are emblazoned with an American...

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