Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess
When I was doing my Slipknot t-shirt quilt I washed all the shirts I bought. Didn't matter if they were brand new or previously used. If new they needed to be washed for possible shrinkage and if old they needed to be washed for lack of knowing where they have been before reaching my mailbox. I had a thought of a used t-shirt being worn by a really sweaty guy in a mosh pit at a Slipknot concert and that was enough to make me wash the shirt "just to be sure".
So I would wash them. You never know where its been, who touched it, or if the thift store washed them first before putting them on the shelf (which I would hope they would!)
If you think thrift stores actually have a washer and dryer that they send everything that they recieve into then I would love to shop at your thrift stores because around here they don't have them and wouldn't take the time to do it if they had them. Also even if you think that buying shirts or other items from a department store or a big box chain at a greatly reduced price don't need the same treatment then you have never worked retail at places like that. My DSD works for a major chain department store and you would be greatly suprized by what people bring back and in what condition.