A former Joann Fabrics employee reveals the high cost of liquidation for struggling businesses — and the rest of us may end up paying the price.
What's happening?
As Joann Fabrics was in the process of shuttering all of its remaining stores this spring, a Reddit user explained on r/joannfabrics that their location tossed its unsold sewing patterns in the trash. "Really really hate that we have to destroy all of these," they said.
"Our store had to do this too, I was so upset about it. [It's] such a waste," someone responded.
Other Redditors were shocked.
"This should be illegal," one person said.
"So THIS is what happened to the patterns at my local store! I went on Sunday and all the patterns were in boxes on top of the pattern files labeled and very nice looking. I went back today and they were all gone," another vented.
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Why is this important?
Some materials, like plastics, don't readily break down, so they remain in the trash heap for generations. The more stuff we send to landfills, the more space we need to hold everything. As the University of Colorado Boulder explains, the U.S. has lost an estimated 1.8 million acres of habitat to landfills, contributing to biodiversity loss.
Those who live and work near landfills are most affected by excessive waste. Many discarded items contain hazardous chemicals and toxic substances that leach into the environment, releasing noxious fumes and contaminating water supplies.
While the Joann sewing patterns appear to consist of paper, which is biodegradable, discarding them still represents a complete loss of resources and energy. "If they can't be donated, recycling the paper would be SOOOOO preferable...." one commenter pointed out.
Why would Joann Fabrics discard the patterns?
Multiple Redditors suggested that Joann had no say in whether to donate the sewing patterns or discard them, placing the onus instead on patternmakers. Others disputed that claim.
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Should it be illegal to throw away old clothes?
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Heck yes 👍 Regardless of who was to blame for the waste, commenters overwhelmingly agreed that it was a lost opportunity to support community organizations. For instance, under a partnership with the Kids in Need Foundation, Joann used to provide free supplies to under-resourced schools.
"A kind and caring manager would throw them all in the dumpster... Then take the mandatory photos and pull them back out to donate to schools, libraries and community groups," one person suggested. At the same time, another indicated they would have stepped in: "Ya girl will dumpster dive and keep/distribute/donate as much as can fit in my car!"
How can I limit landfill waste more broadly?
Consider donating or selling your unwanted items online before tossing them in the trash. You may even get store credit or cash in return. Going plastic-free whenever possible is also one of the best ways to prevent a long-lasting buildup of waste in overcrowded landfills.
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