The business of collecting donated clothes, selling them in local thrift stores and shipping them overseas has become so lucrative it has created a cut-throat turf war in Ontario.
One man in the industry said competition for routes in the past two to three years has become “violent.”
“People are getting beat up because these things work as a territory.… We have orders from the company, like don’t let competition around you,” said the man, who spoke to CBC News on condition he not be identified.
He said the violence has escalated since people have found out there’s lots of money involved. “And now they are fighting with each other.… people got beat up, the bins were stolen, the bins were burned out.”
In 2010, Canadian exports of worn clothes were valued at $174 million. Ontario’s share of that market is over $132 million. Most of the clothes went to African countries, India and Pakistan. Full Story>>>
