Paper short abstract:

Based on ongoing ethnographic fieldwork this poster illustrates the utopian visions of humanity and good life negotiated and put on display by a German relief organization specialized in doing good with donated clothes national and in South-Eastern Europe.

Paper long abstract:

Since 2014 an increasing demand for wearable clothes exists for those who live in war zones and for those who could escape. In Germany public discourse mobilizes people and German refugee shelters face quantities of old clothes hardly to handle. The new willingness to make donations complements the traditional collections of second-hand clothes organized by aid agencies, which have long been criticized for an ongoing economization. This is a good example for ideas and practices of doing good, but also for the close connections between faith-based humanitarianism and the donation of clothes. After all, most charity projects are initiated by communities of faith.

The poster will present findings from ongoing ethnographic research on the infrastructure and ethics characterizing the work of a German relief organization specialized in donated clothes, second-hand and remnants. It will question the utopian visions narrated and put on display, and in doing so give insight into the interrelation of materials, values and visions of humanity. Basically, the rather small non-profit organization is associated with Protestant Church and cooperates with parishes and NGOs in Germany, Eastern Europe resp. South-Eastern Europe. Possessing the infrastructure for clothes sorting, stockpiling and distribution, similar to freight forwarding and logistics companies, she promotes herself as humanitarian and sustainable. Given that both are sites of articulating and negotiating moralities, the entanglement of a 'green utopia' and humanitarian activity will receive attention.