Secondhand T-Shirt Dependency
The above TED Talk is an interesting look at the secondhand t-shirt market in developing countries. Project Repat co-founder Ross Lohr explains how the used clothing industry fights dependency, reduces unemployment, and stimulates nascent industries. 100% donated goods have the effect of undercutting distribution chain systems (and other related industries) by flooding clothing markets with free goods. On the other hand, NGOs like Good Will and The Salvation Army, which do not freely give away used t-shirts as donations, consist of surprisingly large industries and complex networks that sell secondhand clothes. Lohr ultimately poses the question, if by giving donations for free "Are we really producing a sustainable, long-term impact in these countries or are we just undercutting local markets that haven't really had the opportunity to fully develop yet?"
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