What Are Bulk Linens, Anyway? a blog post by EcoGoodz

In the wholesale used clothing industry, textiles are sorted and grouped with similar items. Shoes are paired. They are either tied together by their laces or held together with rubber bands. They are boxed into enormous boxes called gaylords or placed in special bags called capsacks. Used clothing is generally sorted into one of two categories: Credential clothing (bags of original donations; the individual items are not sorted through) and mixed rags (individual clothing items generated from donations to thrift stores and charitable institutions). Both credential clothing and mixed rags are baled. Each bale can weigh anywhere between eight hundred and one thousand pounds! Accessories such as purses, belts, and backpacks are grouped together and placed in gaylords. But what about bulk linens?

Bath towels, beach towels, hand towels, bathmats, washcloths, bed sheets, comforters, blankets, and all other types of household linens fall into the category of bulk linens. They are generated from donations to thrift stores and charitable institutions. Bulk linens, like credential clothing and mixed rags, are baled. And also like credential clothing and mixed rags, bulk linen bales can weigh between eight hundred and one thousand pounds.

Bulk linens are an important part of the used clothing wholesale industry. They are sent overseas to developing nations in continents such as South America and Africa, where they can be sold in local markets. Up to eight percent of people around the world regularly buy used goods including clothing, shoes, and linens. For those who cannot afford to purchase new, or who simply do not have access to new linens and clothing, bulk linens are both affordable and accessible.

If you still have questions about bulk linens (or mixed rags, credential clothing, or used shoes), you are welcome to comment below or to contact us directly. We’d be happy to answer any additional questions you might have. Thanks for reading!