Rag-and-bone man

A rag-and-bone man is a person who collects things that people don't want anymore, like old clothes, furniture or metal scrap, and then sells them to people who can use them again. It's like recycling things that are still useful but may not be wanted by their original owner. The term "rag-and-bone" comes from the fact that some of the things collected were old rags or animal bones that could be sold to be used for things like paper making or fertilizer. The rag-and-bone man would usually travel around neighbourhoods and ask people if they had anything they wanted to get rid of that he could take off their hands. In the old days, it was a common way for people to make a living and help reduce waste. Nowadays, we have recycling centres and charities that collect unwanted items, but some people still operate as rag-and-bone men as a way to earn some extra money.