On the other side of the world a disaster of epic proportions has unfolded — earthquakes in Nepal that have killed thousands of people, displaced many more and destroyed entire villages.

The need to provide emergency aid for the stricken country is on everyone’s minds at the Northern UK recycling flagship of the international relief charity Oxfam, where up to 90 tons of clothing and goods arrive every week.

“Oxfam was in Nepal the day the earthquake happened,” says Jo Thackwray, e-commerce and festivals manager at Oxfam’s Northern Logistics Centre in Batley.

“We look after basics like clean water and sanitation and, in this case, emergency food. When a disaster strikes we always get an increase in donations and volunteers.”

In fact, the Online Hub, which is based in Batley, alongside the Wastesaver operation and Festival Shop, is almost entirely staffed by volunteers — 40 in total. It contributes to Oxfam’s relief efforts by turning over more than £300,000 a year with online sales of unwanted clothing and other goods.

Wastesaver, which moved from its previous base in Huddersfield two years ago after a fire ravaged the warehouse, is once again a massive operation, recycling clothing, shoes, bags, household and other goods that have failed to attract a buyer in the charity’s High Street shops — from Dundee to South London.

If a donation doesn’t sell in a shop after three weeks it is bagged up, collected, and delivered to Batley.

The quite staggering amount of unwanted clothing, stacked in bales and on rail after rail, says much about the contrast between the lives of donors and the lives of those who will receive Oxfam’s charitable aid.

As Jo points out: “When you see it all you realise how wasteful we are. But that’s good for us because we can squeeze every last penny out of donations and turn unwanted clothing into hard cash. Even clothing we can’t use can be made into carpet underlay or packing for car panels. No clothing goes into landfill. No other charity does what we do.”

Graeme McIntosh, production manager at the warehouse, is in charge of a conveyor-belt operation that sorts donations into 25 different grades of recycling — from ski wear to toys — and says that among the weekly arrivals are up to 12 tons of handbags and shoes.

He has other figures at his fingertips: “Around 45% of what we sort here goes to Frip Ethique, a social enterprise that Oxfam runs in Senegal. The clothing is sold to traders, who are all checked out by Oxfam, and they sell it on. It’s about giving people the tools to make a living for themselves. A sustainable living. Only 8% ends up as rags.”

Bales of clothing are also destined for sale in Eastern Europe and an Oxfam marketplace in Karachi.

trash and contaminated donations

Wastesaver employs skilled sorters to separate the sound and saleable from the dirty and damaged-beyond-repair. Occasionally they find gems, such as the Ossie Clark dress, or a rare Celia Birtwell print that the online shop hopes will raise up to £1,000; a Balmain evening gown; 1980s Versace dress and Alexander McQueen designer outfit. These are just a few of the vintage and contemporary designer pieces that have found their way to the shop.

Occasionally, and somewhat disgustingly, sorters also find bags of trash and contaminated donations. “We’ve had dead koi carp and dirty needles, empty beer bottles and bags of rubbish,” explains Jo, “It’s unbelievable really that someone would donate us their dangerous rubbish. But fortunately, we get some great stuff and we’re very grateful for most of our donations.”

Selected items find their way into the online store, into specialist Oxfam shops and the Festival Shop, which takes clothing and equipment out to festivals around the country from May to October.

Holly Rothwell, online manager for Oxfam, says the website (www.oxfam.org.uk/shop) lists up to 6,000 clothing items at any one time — from low-cost scarves and contemporary womenswear at a few pounds to wedding gowns and designer handbags.

A former lecturer in textiles who wanted to work in ethical fashion, she says there’s no reason why anyone can’t dress from Oxfam in the latest trends. To prove the point the Online Hub recently held a fashion show for its ‘bloggers’ — writers who champion Oxfam fashion online. It showed outfits themed around the current season’s High Street collections, from paisley prints to floral and oriental.

Among those modelling outfits was Huddersfield University fashion student Laura Richter, who was featured on this page a few weeks ago arguing the case for higher visibility for disabled people in the fashion world. Laura is on a work placement at the Online Hub as a vintage specialist and took to the catwalk in her motorised wheelchair.

Twice a year members of the public can see the Wastesaver operation for themselves and shop direct in Batley. The next open day is in September and those interested can get the details by following Oxfam on Twitter (www.twitter.com/OxfamOnlineBTLY) or Facebook (www.facebook/OxfamOnline.Batley) .

If anyone would like to be part of the recycling operation and has time to spare as a volunteer then search the charity’s website for opportunities. And, of course, donations to charity shops are always welcome — and will never be wasted.