Bad quality of donated clothing: Is there confusion between collection charities and recycling centers?

Mauvaise qualité des dons de textiles: y a-t-il confusion entre organismes de collecte et déchetteries ?

Emmanuelle Boch (), Julie Loiseau () and Laure Sugier ()
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Emmanuelle Boch: VALLOREM - Val de Loire Recherche en Management - UO - Université d'Orléans - UT - Université de Tours - NEOLAiA - NEOLAiA European University = Université Européenne NEOLAÏA, IAE Tours Val de Loire - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Tours Val de Loire, UT - Université de Tours - NEOLAiA - NEOLAiA European University = Université Européenne NEOLAÏA
Julie Loiseau: VALLOREM - Val de Loire Recherche en Management - UO - Université d'Orléans - UT - Université de Tours - NEOLAiA - NEOLAiA European University = Université Européenne NEOLAÏA
Laure Sugier: VALLOREM - Val de Loire Recherche en Management - UO - Université d'Orléans - UT - Université de Tours - NEOLAiA - NEOLAiA European University = Université Européenne NEOLAÏA, IUT Indre, Université d'Orléans

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Abstract: Given the saturation of the waste textile recycling sector and the critical importance of the quality of textile donations—which determines the viability of circular economy actors—understanding donor practices is essential. Existing literature has not specifically focused on this issue of the (bad) quality of textile donations. This exploratory research addresses this issue and provides insight through an ethnographic approach conducted within two collecting organisations, adopting the donors' perspective. Analysis of the empirical material reveals confusion between donation and waste disposal, driven both by how collecting organisations are perceived and by characteristics specific to the donated goods. Its theoretical contribution lies in the conceptualization of "abandonment" as a hybrid act between giving and discarding, thereby investigating the porous nature of some post-use behaviors. The study also provides operational recommendations mainly aimed at stakeholders working in the reuse sector.

Keywords: collection organisations; Donation; Textiles; Confusion; Waste; organismes de collecte; textiles; Déchets; Don (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-11-19
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05703135v1
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Published in 25èmes Journées Normandes de Recherche sur la Consommation (JNRC), NIMEC Caen - Rouen - Le Havre, Nov 2026, Rouen, France

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