February 23, 2022

"Fur coat? It is said that nobody wants fur these days, but animals do. Rehabilitators, like those at Sacred Friends, in Norfolk, Virginia, cut up old coats and..."

"... use the scraps as little capes and stoles to keep sick animals warm... peta wants your pelts, too. The organization donates them to the homeless ('the only humans with any excuse to wear fur,' according to its Web site), and lately it has shipped fur garments to Afghanistan and Iraq for use by refugees.... Your old bras are welcomed with open arms at the Bra Recyclers, a Phoenix-based enterprise that has sent more than four million bras to homeless shelters, schools, foster programs, and other nonprofits all over the world. As Elaine Birks-Mitchell, the founder of the Bra Recyclers, explained to me over Zoom, bras are not just about fashion. For girls in developing countries, they make it possible to play sports and attend school without embarrassment."

From "A Guide to Getting Rid of Almost Everything/Once you’ve thanked and said goodbye to the items that do not spark joy, what can you do with them?" by Patricia Marx (The New Yorker).

21 comments:

rhhardin said...

For girls in developing countries, they make it possible to play sports and attend school without embarrassment

It sounds like an effort to import embarrassment where there was none.

Kevin said...

The organization donates them to the homeless ('the only humans with any excuse to wear fur,' according to its Web site), and lately it has shipped fur garments to Afghanistan and Iraq for use by refugees....

How do people remain in power?

By constantly changing what's "acceptable" to demonstrate how powerful they are.

Putin just did the same thing with the borders of the Ukraine.

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

These people have run out of things to write about. I guess that's what happens when you live in a bubble.

Achilles said...

Unfortunate name in the byline.

It sure looks like they are about to tell us all you need less and just start taking stuff like they are in Canada.

Dagwood said...

How about shipping PETA to Afghanistan instead?

ALP said...

When my partner's mother died (father had passed previously) we found a seal fur coat in her closet. I had no clue about seal fur being illegal to sell - the coat was probably made in the late 1960's.

I made an attempt to sell it by going into vintage/consignment shops - in Seattle - to ask if they'd be willing to take it on consignment. I'll never forget the shocked looks I got in response - like I had grown a second head. Later I discovered it was illegal to buy/sell/trade seal fur. Except in Alaska - Craigslist Anchorage had tons of them listed for sale at the time.

Josephbleau said...

Great, now the homeless can also enjoy the furs of baby harp seals, bludgeoned to death one at a time by Canadians. They set an example for us all, and are a model for the Ottawa Police Dept.

Josephbleau said...

That's not fair, Canadians stopped beating baby harp seals to death like, 2 years ago, EH?

PM said...

I'm for anything useless to some getting to them who can use it. If they want it.

n.n said...

For girls in developing countries, they make it possible to play sports and attend school without embarrassment.

Fur, huh. Feminists burned a functional product with disparate distribution to make a sociopolitical statement. Embarrassing.

Men and women are equal in rights and complementary in Nature/nature.

mikee said...

What will these groups pay me for my hand-me-downs?
Nothing?
Well then, good luck to you, and good day.

Joanne Jacobs said...

Sell the fur and use the money to buy good used down coats for the homeless -- and/or first and last month's rent on a studio apartment.

gilbar said...

i didn't realize that a Lot of other people had a lot of fur bras!

Assistant Village Idiot said...

It's good to know, as most donated clothing is no longer needed.

I see that people here are not familiar with what the homeless really need, BTW, and so make wrong suggestions.

Leora said...

I am a regular visitor to Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Anything they won't take goes to the curb.

Robert said...

I talked to an animal rehabilitation organization about accepting fur coats and they could not take them with the reason they could not be sure the material was treated with substances that could affect an animal's breathing capability.

ceowens said...

I am in South Carolina for the winter. The wife and I will frequent the second hand shops on occasion. Often there are furs on display. I asked who purchased furs in SC? "Canadians" was the answer.

effinayright said...

I always liked the Itchy and scratchy clip on the Simpsons---where Scratchy the cat tries to use the fur Itchy flays off him using an elevator---as a cloak, only to be savaged by

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CSbcYcScHg

effinayright said...

Assistant Village Idiot said...

I see that people here are not familiar with what the homeless really need, BTW, and so make wrong suggestions.
*********

Yes! What the homeless really need are Air Jordan sneakers, and anything bearing the logo of Beyonce, Snoop Dog and Kim Largassian.

Joe Smith said...

'These people have run out of things to write about. I guess that's what happens when you live in a bubble.'

Yes...the woke, look at me generation has discovered donating your old stuff.

Congratulations.

Doug said...

Bra recycling is bound to depress the slingshot market.