Community Engagement Manager Adrian Quintero poses with an employee who worked his way up to manager at the West Sacramento facility.

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – Have you ever wondered what really happens to that trash bag of old clothes you dropped off at Goodwill?

When an item is donated, it embarks on a journey alongside the thousands of other items that are donated each day. From sorting to pricing to being placed on the floor for sale, donations undergo a process that operates like a well-oiled machine and provides hundreds of employment opportunities along the way.

A 107,000-square-foot facility in West Sacramento at 3689 Industrial Blvd. functions as the distribution and processing center for the Sacramento Valley and Northern Nevada region. The site includes a warehouse, retail store and Goodwill outlet, commonly known as the “bins.”

When stores across the region reach inventory capacities, overflow goods are shipped to the West Sacramento facility. At the same time, stores lacking inventory in certain departments such as books or winter clothing can put in a request to receive more inventory from West Sacramento.

“We re-allocate products to where they are needed,” said Adrian Quintero, community engagement manager for the region. Cold climate items often go up north to Truckee and Lake Tahoe.

Quintero said the facility sees a steady stream of new inventory. In the past, donations followed faster-paced seasons, such as spring cleaning and college move-out, followed by slower periods. That pattern has not continued in recent years, and clothing continues to be the largest category of items donated.

Potentially adding on to this influx of inventory is the passing of Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), or the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, which establishes stewardship programs for unsold items including clothing. Under the bill, apparel and textile producers selling in California must join an approved Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) to manage the recycling of goods.

Landbell USA was approved by CalRecycle as the official PRO for the law, with Goodwill acting as a partner. The bill went into effect in January 2025, but regulations have been slowly rolling out across the state.

Bryan Wagner, the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada, Inc. does not expect a significant increase in items due to the bill. However, due to an overall increase in items, the company is considering expanding its West Sacramento facility, according to Quintero. Obtaining a warehouse in the Natomas area is another option.

The influx in items has also been fueled by the popularity of thrifting and reselling items on platforms such as Depop.

One shopper at the bins, Joseph, who asked not to share his last name, said he got into the hobby because he loved thrifting with his girlfriend.

Other resellers utilize Goodwill’s e-commerce network, ShopGoodwill.com, which sells items through an auctioning process. Items of higher value including electronics, instruments and collectibles are separated in the warehouse and listed on the site. Quintero said he recently utilized the site to purchase Pokémon trading cards for his sons.

Also unique to the West Sacramento facility are the bulk pallets made up of miscellaneous that did not sell in the retail store or in the outlet. These pallets are sometimes purchased by individuals looking to sell items in other countries including in South America, Quintero said. They can also be purchased on ShopGoodwill.com where they are listed for a minimum bid of $101.

Aside from potential warehouse expansion, Goodwill Industries in the Sacramento region is looking to expand its home pickup services and veteran outreach. The nonprofit is also working closely with the Sacramento Association of Realtors and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) to establish programs for new-home buyers and senior care facilities.

For more information and employment opportunities, visit goodwill.org.