[DartmoorLiz]

Hi, I'm newly registered to this forum but have been lurking for a few weeks and I have a question.

I help a charity which sends containers of second hand clothing and other useful stuff to Zimbabwe, Zambia and other places in Africa.  The charity receives loads of really good quality clothing and it is a joy to pack it into the container.  The charity could send more containers but they cost money and so we cram the containers as full as we can using muscle power.

Here's my question.  Bailing hay and straw compacts it.  Round bails do not (as far as I know) cut the hay and straw.  Would it be possible and feasable to make a bale of clothing which, after it has been baking in the container for 3 months might then be delivered with the clothing still in good enough condition to wash and wear?  Does anyone know if this has been done before?

I'm sure people will have opinions on this so I hope you all can help.

Liz

[Fleecewife]

What about a wool sheet (sack) compressor?  I don't use one but they might be more appropriate than something for hay or straw.

[DartmoorLiz]

Whats that?  I've looked on google and no information.  Can you send a link?

[Fleecewife]

Sorry no link.  It's the thing they use to compress freshly shorn fleeces into the giant sacks for transport and storage.  They are stacked and moved around the world like that. Many large scale sheep keepers have them - I don't or I would send a pic.  Does anyone have a pic of one of these?  The British Wool Marketing board might.

[robert waddell]

you could also use a sawdust or shavings baler    that way the container would not have as many vacant pockets as round bales  etc

[DartmoorLiz]

Thanks Robert and Fleecewife, 

They both sound like good ideas.  I'll speak to the charity and see if they like them.  Meanwhile, if anyone else has any good ideas for compacting clothing for transport feel free to comment.

Liz

[tizaala]

What about the compactors that big shops use for cardboard boxes, they compress and wrap.