A CCTV "Financial Investigation" report aired on December 21, 2025 uncovered a hidden pathway at the end of the used clothing recycling chain: clothes from urban community recycling bins flow through sorting plants by the ton into e-commerce livestreams, where they are packaged as "big-brand surplus" or "one-of-a-kind sample garments" and sold at low prices — without being washed or sanitized. The report showed that a Changchun used clothing recycling company can sell dozens of tons of recycled garments per day through livestream channels alone; similar supply sources and refurbishment chains exist in Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shandong, and multiple locations in South China.

Key Points

  • Reporters placed GPS trackers in two used clothing recycling bins in Tieling, Liaoning. The items appeared days later at a corn storage warehouse over 60 kilometers away, which was actually a used clothing sorting plant. Clothes from recycling bins are known in the industry as "bin goods."
  • The head of Changchun Kunteng Used Clothing Recycling Company said it can sell dozens of tons of recycled garments per day to livestreams; the head of local Daling Used Clothing Recycling Factory confirmed that most used clothes are sold to e-commerce livestreams and demand exceeds supply.
  • Refurbishment companies around a surplus wholesale market in South China treat second-hand clothes with chemicals and attach brand-new tags — readily available for purchase anywhere — to wholesale them as "surplus" or "sample garments." A livestream base in Shangqiu, Henan, involved in the case claimed to have over 20 livestream rooms, averaging tens of thousands of yuan in daily revenue per room.

"Bin Goods" from Recycling Bins Head to Livestreams

The report said CCTV "Financial Investigation" reporters first bought 3 so-called "sample surplus" garments for 6 yuan with free shipping from a livestream called "Xixi Women's Outfit Matching." The clothes had yellow stains and foundation marks on collars and underarms, oil stains on hems, and loose threads — clearly second-hand. Sellers used phrases like "slightly dirty" and "minor flaws," never mentioning the second-hand nature, explaining the source only as "sample garments" or "surplus."

To trace the supply, reporters placed GPS trackers in clothing and shoes and dropped them into two used clothing recycling bins in different areas of Tieling. Days later, tracking signals showed the items had been transported to a corn storage warehouse over 60 kilometers away. Waste clothing piled up inside; the manager said it was actually a used clothing sorting plant and had just received two truckloads of clothes from Tieling recycling bins. Similar investigations at used clothing sorting warehouses in Jiamusi, Jinan, and other locations confirmed the pattern — operators all said community "used clothing recycling bins" were an important source. Front-end operators even labeled bins with "charitable donation" or "caring fundraiser" to increase collection volume.

"Never Mention Second-Hand" and Livestreams Without Washing

In Changchun, the head of Daling Used Clothing Recycling Factory said business had been good recently; the head of Kunteng Used Clothing Recycling Company directly gave the figure of dozens of tons sold daily and connected reporters to a livestream specializing in used clothes. The livestream sold nearly 70 garments in half an hour; a randomly checked jacket had obvious mold spots on the cuffs. After the stream ended, manager Liu said nearly half a ton of clothing had been sold on the spot, with revenue exceeding 10,000 yuan. He told reporters he would never tell consumers the clothes were second-hand, and that after purchasing from sorting plants, the clothes were hung and sold without washing or sanitizing to minimize costs. The report noted that even second-hand children's clothing was sold the same way.

Refurbished with Tags, Wholesaled as "New"

The best-condition used clothes were selected for refurbishment. At a surplus wholesale market in South China, shops posted signs saying "No second-hand clothing sold." Guided by an industry insider named Adong, reporters entered Wanbang Huijie Import & Export Trading Co., Ltd. The owner said a batch of refurbished denim jackets had just been processed and sold well; a batch of trench coats could be sold directly as "surplus" without washing. Another warehouse stored refurbished cashmere coats emitting residual chemical odors. Adong then recommended Tianhe Clothing, specializing in refurbished sweaters, located on the third floor of an industrial park. Refurbished sweaters were bundled 100 per pack, 1,000 per bag, with brand-new tags attached — and extra tags included. The owner admitted tags can be bought anywhere. He said the biggest client was a livestream base in Shangqiu, Henan; reporters visited the Shangqiu Linghang Livestream Base, where an entire floor served as a second-hand clothing warehouse. The person in charge claimed to have over 20 livestream rooms. Livestream owners explicitly stated that telling consumers the clothes were second-hand would definitely kill sales — only selling refurbished items as new could maximize profits.

For the used clothing recycling industry, the problem highlighted by this report is not second-hand clothing itself, but the concealment and information opacity at the end of the recycling chain: recycling bin supply is resold to livestreams by the ton, refurbished items with readily purchased tags enter "new product" channels, undermining public trust in used clothing recycling bins and in product descriptions of second-hand clothing.

Source: 3 pieces of "sample surplus" shipped for only 6 yuan; CCTV exposes the inside story of the used clothing recycling industry chain: "big-brand surplus" and "one-of-a-kind sample garments" are actually recycled bin clothes, with one company selling dozens of tons daily · Originally published 2025-12-22