Rags to riches

Community Recycling Initiative (CRI) is a newly formed clothing recycling company based in Ballymena. We collect second hand clothing with the help of community groups who are paid for the clothing collected.

Although the company only began trading in March 2005, already thousands of pounds have been raised by local groups through the scheme. Unlike other commercial collectors, Community Recycling Initiative is a community business operating on a not for profit basis with two main aims. To:

1. create job opportunities in areas of high unemployment
2. provide a means to enable community groups to generate income.

CRI is all too aware of the recent negative publicity that the clothing recycling industry has received with unscrupulous organisations collecting clothing used fake charity names for their own financial gain. CRI is a registered charity and works in an ethical and moral manner. We continue to raise awareness of these issues through presentations to community groups.

CLOTHING BANKS
We are in the process of purchasing a large number of clothing banks, these will be distributed to community organisations throughout Northern Ireland. As there will be great demand for these banks as a source of income generation, it is advised that any interested community organisation contact CRI as soon as possible for further information.

On average, we anticipate that a community organisation will raise a minimum of £1000 per year from a clothing bank.

CONTACT US
To get involved or for more information about the benefits of the project, please contact

Philip Gordon
028 2565 5151
028 2565 5051

CRI is a community business with charitable status, initially established with funding from Ballymena Local Strategy Partnership, Invest NI Community Business Programme and Ballymena Borough Council.