Losing Your Rag

[jimbur]

I'm not going to mention a particular outlet as they seem to have had more than their fair share of flak lately.
However, I decided to look at some french polishing supplies specifically pure cotton rag. Liberon have 500gm packets. Australian store - $40, Ebay store $14. Even with postage it works out at half-price.
I know all the arguments for such pricing (use it or lose it etc) but I still lose my rag especially when I would still have to pay postage to the Australian store as well.

[Master Splinter]

But you'll find that difference is all explained when you add the $1.40 GST to the overseas purchase. $14.00 + $1.40 = $40

Thanks for teaching me that math, Gerry Harvey!!

[bsrlee]

Most of the 'cotton' rags being sold in Australia have about as much cotton in them as a house brick. Prime example of this is the bags of 'cotton' rags being sold by the Big Green Box, allegedly from some charity I have not otherwise heard of - so far every rag I have pulled out has been obviously some sort of synthetic, just about zero absorbancy and really nasty feel to them.

So much for supporting 'local industry/charities', the attitude seems to be 's#$%w you'.

[Master Splinter]

Is this where I admit that I have pulled 'rags' from my rag bag and started wearing them again as they were too good to throw out????

[jimbur]

Here we are on Tuesday and the stuff from the ebay store has arrived. Five days isn't bad from the UK.

[tea lady]

Most of the 'cotton' rags being sold in Australia have about as much cotton in them as a house brick. Prime example of this is the bags of 'cotton' rags being sold by the Big Green Box, allegedly from some charity I have not otherwise heard of - so far every rag I have pulled out has been obviously some sort of synthetic, just about zero absorbancy and really nasty feel to them.

So much for supporting 'local industry/charities', the attitude seems to be 's#$%w you'.The lack of absorbancy might be cos they are not washed yet. As in "new" fabric. Which has sizing on it. Like you have to wash new towels and sheets before use cos the sizing stops water absorption. But I do agree that some of that so called cotton is not.

Now a whole bunch of you knows why you need to wash towels.

[tea lady]

Here we are on Tuesday and the stuff from the ebay store has arrived. Five days isn't bad from the UK.:doh: From the UK for rags? A bunch of t-shirts from the op shop could have worked.

[jimbur]

:doh: From the UK for rags? A bunch of t-shirts from the op shop could have worked.
True, but I did order other stuff too and it's getting increasingly difficult to guarantee 100% cotton these days.:B
ps have just thrown away a lot of useless op-shop rags. Also it gets embarrassing reading labels and having ladies come up to help you find your size.:D

[tea lady]

Overheard in kMart undies department.

Hubby to wife - "You need to buy more undies cos I have worn out the others."

[jimbur]

Overheard in kMart undies department.

Hubby to wife - "You need to buy more undies cos I have worn out the others."
Nothing is sacred anymore. Even knickers often don't seem to be 100% cotton. Don't the manufacturers keep woodworkers in mind?:D

[Doggie]

Most of the 'cotton' rags being sold in Australia have about as much cotton in them as a house brick.

"Fine Cotton" maybe.

[issatree]

Hi Jimbur,
I have used my old worn out Singlets & my worn out Underpants for years, & my finish seems to work out pretty good.
Surly there must have been some where closer than the UK.
Could have bought, or been given Pure Cotton from the QLD. Farms where it is grown.
That's my 2sence worth.

[jimbur]

Hi Jimbur,
I have used my old worn out Singlets & my worn out Underpants for years, & my finish seems to work out pretty good.
Surly there must have been some where closer than the UK.
Could have bought, or been given Pure Cotton from the QLD. Farms where it is grown.
That's my 2sence worth.
I've done the same for years but this time they weren't satisfactory 'glazing' on the surface and not allowing the french polish to flow. I thought I'd try the Liberon products and it led on from there. They are fine but I agree it doesn't make much sense but nor do many of our imports.

[wheelinround]

Sadly the best source of rag's other than your own used clothing.

Charity shops were stopped from making and creating them due to AIDS and other infestations being passed on even after proof of the cleaning they went through, workshops around screamed for them to be allowed back sadly it didn't happen.

If the big green shed is selling charity rags I havent noticed them.

Then again I use my old T-shirts, cotton sox, cotton and wool blend sox, old trackies synthetic fleece type found excellent for polishing and applying some not all finishes. As well as micro fibre shirts wives blouses etc.

Oh I forgot to mention cotton sheets now there's a damn good source single bed will give you small amount queen or king size almost triple that. These are mainly besides old cotton or drill jeans where charity shops got their supplies from.

[Avery]

From first hand experience in opshopsaround here...

Donated clothing etc. goes a to a regional sorting centre. The clothes are sorted into two lots

A: clothes good enough to be resold in their shops to raise cash (a lot of this stuff is really good)

and

B: the rest

This is baled up and sent to , would you believe, New Guinea. From there I have no idea whathappens to it.



Bunnings do sell "bags of rags" ,but I have never seen any charity attribution.

[david.elliott]

36 years in commercial printing.
Towards the end of my time, the best quality rags we could source, and quality is important for some processes in printing, we were purchasing from a business that was importing by the 40ft container from the US! It was cheaper to do that than buy from a local charity. We paid about $30-40 per 25kg bag.
There was a little bit of junk in there but by and large it was OK. Once we were happy with some we put to one side we could get them washed locally quite reasonably. I still struggle to see how it's 1. financially possible, and be cheaper, and, 2. needed, to import from another first world country.

[Master Splinter]

Comparing the prices of a pair of Levi 501 jeans - Australia $80 - $129, US $12-40, so obviously we have much better rags here.

[issatree]

Hi jimburr,
I was Repco today, & they have a bag of rags, about ½ a Pillow Slip size for $3.
Wood have to be some good Rags in it?.

[jimbur]

Hi jimburr,
I was Repco today, & they have a bag of rags, about ½ a Pillow Slip size for $3.
Wood have to be some good Rags in it?.
When I think of the places I have worked where you just grabbed what you wanted out of sacks:((

[Mulgabill]

When I was working, we used to purchase bags of rags from a supplier who got them from a charity org. On one occasion we pulled from the bag a Sydney Olympic shirt (it look very much like a team issue) with athletes signatures on it. One signature was of Kathy Freeman.
But you are right, there used to also be a lot of poly fibre useless stuff. :no:

[Clinton1]

This is baled up and sent to , would you believe, New Guinea. From there I have no idea what happens to it.

A lot of poor countries import second hand clothes for re-sale as clothing in the markets. A few $ per kilo (or less) for second hand clothes makes sense for a person earning under $10/day. :(

What a bunch of tossers we are.... grow cotton, spend money on shipping it as an export to China, spend money shipping it back as buy it back as 'value added' cheap chain store clothes (or worse, as expensive 'label' items) wear it for a few washes, send it to the charity stores, who re-export it to poor countries (spending more $ in shipping costs).
Makes me wonder why I try to cut down on unnecessary trips in the car!

[Avery]

My local Lifeline op store, which is also the distribution centre for the Central Coast, sorts cuts and bags rags for sale to local industry. They are sorted into categories such as white tee shirts, coloured shirts, towelling etc. etc.. They are sold in 20Kg bags. White T-shirts are $41.00 for 20Kg, toweling is $31.00, flanelette is $36.00.

The samples that I have are are clean and good quality.

Pick up only at Wyoming.

[Bob38S]

Cotton sheets - put the word out to the family for donations or buy - even the cheapies are good.

I cut them up and store in a 70 Litre plastic rubbish bin in the shed [yes, it was new and has never been used for anything else].