Barter system for old clothes.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
India
February 14, 2010 10:09am CST
Do you know, that you can barter your old clothes for new stainless steel utensils.Some years ago, these kind of vendors use to come to our houses, and usually they take the old clothes, and in return give new stainless steel utensils. My mother usually collected a lot of clothes, and exchanged them for the utensils. Later on, instead of stainless steel utensils, it changed to plastic things like mugs, and buckets. Now days I do not see such kind of vendors in our city. Have you had any experience like this.Share it with all of us.
2 people like this
10 responses
@bhagvadgita (61)
• India
3 Mar 10
They do exchange utensils for clothes. But, what will be the quality of these utensils......must be an inferior ones. Even today I saw a person in my city, in Bangalore. I took one tawa long back.....but, stopped after that just because, tawa had a hole after using a month.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112969)
• El Paso, Texas
31 Mar 21
I hadn't thought of that, when a barter system was in place it usually meant that a quality item was traded for a different quality item. Quality being the key.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
14 Feb 10
Unfortunately we dont have such a system here but that would be a lovely system because it would help cut down on some of the wastage and overuse of resources .I mean I have a lot of old clothes and many other persons who are not that old .I am thinking that many persons would love to have them at reduced cost
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112969)
• El Paso, Texas
31 Mar 21
The barter system only works if everyone is in it to trade goods but most people prefer to use money.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
14 Feb 10
Other than freecycle or thru church or friends & family no there isn't any kind of barter at all. Basically you have to donate your things and get nothing but realize you are helping a chairty or toss things out and fill up the landfills.
I wish I knew someone to trade my kids clothes for bigger sizes ect but I don't. So I just hit the rummage sales.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
14 Feb 10
Now days even the Charity houses do not accept old clothes, as they get so much relief materials, from places like Europe and USA, these charity houses, usually ask for a donation rather than old clothes. In future, I think even we have to throw out our old clothes.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
14 Feb 10
Interesting I wonder why they don't just say slow down on the clothing donations? You know resale them here & send the money over? Thats how most charities work here they sell the used items to fund their various programs in the community.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Feb 10
That is a good idea, but I think the church authorities, think that if they give the money, it might be misused by the local church people, and that is why usually, the clothes as well as the food stuff which the locals cannot consume is sent. This is usually wasted.
@srganesh (6340)
• India
15 Feb 10
Yes ramesh!I can't see them too now as before.They will be roaming the streets for the exchange and their target is the ladies at home.They have to bargain a lot before getting used worn out clothes.And there will be still another type of vendors who exchange waste iron to dates.
I think these people have changed their profession
.
.@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Feb 10
Yes Ganesh, I forgot about the waste iron to dates. Of course these vendors disappeared a long time back, and now the stainless steel vendors are also disapearing.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
17 Feb 10
Hi Ramesh,
Yes. i learned about this in our social studies and history subjects. there's no money then...it's an exchange of goods and products. i can't think of the same thing that is happening now in our area. how about you?
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
18 Feb 10
This is also something like a barter only. These vendors usually wash and iron the old clothes and sell it to the needy. That was the time, when textiles were quite expensive, and the people were also quite poor. Things have changed now, and textiles have become quiet cheap, and the money power has also gone up.That is the reason nowdays these kind of vendors have slowly dissappeared.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
19 Feb 10
everything has evolved and now anybody can afford a clothing. it may not be branded or signature but anything that is decent to wear. i think there's still mor out there selling second hand clothings and over-runs but not anymore the idea of a barter system but selling it in a lesser price!
@visalusha (131)
• Australia
15 Feb 10
I believe this (getting stainless steel utensils for old clothes) system prevailed in India. This happened because of the need of that person selling things, instead of money he got used clothes at low rates. But later on people though of donating the used clothes to poor and needy people but after one point of time they also said they cannot accept as they want only new clothes. Now is almost all the countries if we want to donate some clothes to needy people, they have a rule like it should be washed and properly ironed so that those people will not feel bad in using that.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Feb 10
Quite right, these orphanages get sufficient quantity of clothings from the western countries, that now days they refuse to accept out old clothes, and even if they accept it, they want it to be washed and ironed before giving it to them.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
14 Feb 10
Here in The USA Bartering isn't really done. I'm sure there are some small time bartering, but there's none around here (where I live) that I know of. I think it would be a great thing to bring back, but with places like good will, the red cross and salvation army, there's really no need to barter when you can pick up donated items fairly cheap.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
14 Feb 10
To my knowledge, there never has been anything like you describe in the U.S. When I was a child, there were what one might call peddlers going around the countryside, but they sold things for cash money. Once in a while they would trade for chickens or eggs. All the farmers now have cars that they can drive to town and buy whatever they need, so the peddlers have had to find other jobs.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Feb 10
Nice to learn, that even in a developed country like USA, there were peddlers who traded their stuff for chicken and eggs. These kind of pedllers are slowly fading away in my country.
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
14 Feb 10
hello ramesh,
Yes,i had experience like this here in our country.
And that was long time ago...maybe 10 years ago.
People selling plastic wares...basin,pails and containers.
I can still remember i got a basin and a laundry basket from our old clothings.
But,now,i haven't seen or heard those people doing this kind if barter.
It's good in your country,still it is still with the circulation.
Have a good weekday ahead
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Feb 10
This is the reason why I started this discussion. Here also the practice is slowly fading away. They are a dying tribe.
@vanitasuri (343)
• India
14 Feb 10
In my city i.e. Chandigarh these kind of vendors still come. But the stainless steel that they offer in exchange of our old clothes is not of very good quality. Another problem is that there is very limited option for u to choose from. I too have one permanent lady who comes to my house after gap of every 3-4 months. She never listens to no and keeps on pestering till the time I bring out some clothes for her to take. As I have enough of steel utensils at my home, I have now started keeping all these utensils for the wedding of my maid's daughter.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
14 Feb 10
Yes, I know these kind of vendors, who really used to pester my mother. My wife is not interested in stainless steel stuff, and usually most of these utensils are gifted.
