Used underwear in really good condition; what to do?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m looking for practical, factual answers, but if this ends up being a thread that mods think goes somewhere else, I understand.

Here’s my situation:

The boychik has always been really big for his age. Right now, he is 13yrs., 5’8, 160lbs. If he had just a little more of a beard, he could probably pass for 18.

Anyway, he started wearing mens’ underwear sizes when he was still 8 yrs. old. He needed a men’s small. But he wanted fun underwear with cartoon prints, and things like his friends had. I found a few things at Target, and a few more at Amazon, and lots at Webundies. I had to pay a lot per pair, but he had kind of a tough time being six inches taller than everyone else, but not athletic. And, reasons. I bought him the fun underwear.

Well, at those prices, it was also quality underwear. He wore smalls for about 18 months, and then moved onto mediums. I paid for more fun underwear in medium. Now he’s in larges, and he’s over wanting SpongeBob on his underwear, so we can now buy the 8-pks/$12 at Walmart, but we still have all the smalls and mediums that he doesn’t need anymore. Like I said, it’s quality stuff. No rips, no threads unraveling, no stains, the prints are still bright.

I thought about taking them to Goodwill, but would someone really buy a stranger’s used underwear?

Would anyone wear someone’s old underwear?

He doesn’t have any younger cousins, or anything.

I’d happily donate this somewhere, if I knew where, because it’s got a lot of wear left in it (pun not intended, but I see it).

Anyone got any idea what you do with a lot of used underwear that is still in really good shape? Homeless shelter?

Obviously, this won’t be taken care of until after lockdown, so I don’t need answers in a hurry, but I decided that this week, I would do ALL the laundry, including the stuff from the back of the closets collecting dust, and bag up the stuff that doesn’t fit the boychik, and that is mine, but I have not worn in the last year, so it’s ready to go somewhere when we can take it. That’s why I happen to be confronting the underwear issue right now.

2

I believe there was a story years ago about Bill Clinton donating his used underwear (anonymously) and writing it off his taxes…so it is done.

I’ve recently learned that you can bury cotton underwear in soil and dig it up after some weeks to see how far it has rotted. This will give you an idea of how fertile your soil is…so SCIENCE!!!

3

Make corona masks from them. (But not like this.)

4

As I understand it, Goodwill sells clothing they can’t sell in their stores to companies that recycle them into cleaning rags and that sort of thing. If you took them there I suspect that’s what they’d do with them; I’m pretty sure they don’t sell used underwear in the stores. I’d probably call them first and verify that they’ll take them if you decide to go that route.

5

Emergency toilet paper, washable, reusable. Stencil past/intended user’s name on it just to cut down on the ick-factor.

ETA: Oh, and make sure to use bleach.

6

Put it in the trash and will go to rest in a landfill.

Every few months clothing stores put new designs/clothes on the shelves. Most of the last season’s clothing goes to landfills.

Goodwill and the like used to sell clothes to third world countries but many countries have stopped allowing that because it drove their local cloth makers to bankruptcy.

7

It depends on the thrift store (as well as the condition). Some do, some don’t. Goodwills are less likely to carry briefs, IME.

In normal times, I would just check the store to see if they are selling them during my regular thrifting rounds.

8

I don’t know if homeless shelters are able to accept donations right now, but after the CoronaLockdown is lifted, I’d start there.

9

Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO.

Colibri
General Questions Moderator

10

I asked my sister about this once. My kids were in a growth spurt and I felt strange throwing good items away. My sister teaches in a poor area. She said that her kids always needed things like underwear. They need anything. I’ve donated items in good condition since that time.

11

I don’t ever remember comparing underwear with my friends at age 8. But that was in the early 70’s. I guess times could have changed!

12

My employer sometimes get items for service that are packed or padded with old cut up (very roughly, almost torn) clothing. I find it creepy, it looks like a crime scene or the aftermath of a polar bear mauling or something.

13

Now if it were girlchik’s used underwear, you could sell it on eBay to the pervs who are into stuff like that. (The more used the better, though.) :eek:

Not so sure if there’s much of that market for boychik’s used underwear, SpongeBob motif notwithstanding.

14

I don’t think there’s a big market for second-hand skiddies.

15

I would contact a domestic violence shelter and ask them. If kids had to leave home with just the clothes on their back…

16

this seems like a good idea.

But whatever you do…make it look less weird! Donate more than just undies. Add in a few shirts and jeans.
Tell them you want to donate “a few sets of boys clothes,including underwear.”
That removes the creepiness factor.

17

Your local state social and health services office may take them for the foster kids. That’s where all my gently used stuff goes.