Over the weekend, hooks and hangers appeared on a wall in Qingdao with the words: “If you need it, take it.” The idea for this “Wall of Kindness” comes from Iran: people hang their spare clothes on the wall, and anyone in need can take them away. When the clothes were first hung up on the wall, passers-by thought they were for sale. After they learned how it works, some began to try them on. Apart from Qingdao, Walls of Kindness have also been spotted in many other places of China including Henan Province, Tianjin city, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Province.
The “Walls” have received a warm welcome, as the hooks have soon been weighed down with far more donations than they can support and clothes piled onto the street. Many believe that this method is a more convenient and effective way of providing clothing donations as it links the donors and receivers directly, saving time and trouble compared with the conventional clothing donation charities. It also represents a more equal way of giving and receiving, as it removes the stigma of people having to ask for clothes from a charity.
