Donating Clothing?
Know What You Can or Can't Donate
This post was last updated in 2024
When it comes to donating clothing – you want to do the right thing. You want to make sure your donations end up with those in need or at least end up being sold to someone who can appreciate and use your clothes. Otherwise, the risk is that your clothing ends up in landfill or is sent overseas.
So it helps to know (1) what charities will or won’t accept, so it doesn’t end up in landfill and (2) what condition the clothing needs so it doesn’t end up overseas.
The larger charities in Australia can take all types of clothing – men’s, women’s and kids. However, the clothes can’t be torn, stained or unwashed before donating. This generally rules out bras, undies and socks – these need to be unused. This is true for Salvos, Red Cross, Vinnies and others.
There are some nuances to this and various options to consider, besides the larger charities mentioned above.
So in this blog, I delve into this a bit deeper by answering the following questions:
- What clothing items can you donate to charities?
- What items should not be donated?
- What clothing sells best in a charity shop?
And these questions are covered in a FAQ with links to further information:
While the focus of this blog post is on Australian charities, the guidance given here is largely applicable to other parts of the world.
So if you want to know more, let’s get into it…
What clothing items should you donate to charities?
If you want to give clothes to charities you should donate clothing that is in good condition and will resell easily in second-hand stores. The larger charities generally accept all men’s, women’s, babies and kids clothing. They should be in good condition and something that will resell easily.
Items of clothing you can donate include:
- tops, shirts, blouses
- jackets, knitwear, coats
- dresses
- pants, shorts, skirts
- onesies
- costumes
- special occasion wear and more
Many also accept accessories such as ties, belts, scarves, hats, gloves, and suspenders.
This is true for Red Cross, Vinnies, Lifeline, Good Sammy and Salvation Army clothes donations, which covers the majority of charities in Australia.
Save the Children are a little more selective with what they do and don’t accept. They do not accept any clothing with a flammable label and uniforms or clothing with a company logo. I spoke to my local Salvation Army and Vinnies about this and they confirm that they also do not accept clothing with labels but clothing with a flammable label is okay.
It is always best to ask your local charity directly about items like these, but this gives you a general idea.
If possible, consider donating to smaller charities rather than the larger charities mentioned above. Donations to smaller charities go directly to those in need, so this is always preferable when you are looking to give clothes for charity.
While these smaller organisations accept a limited range of clothing items, specific to the needs of the community they are serving, it’s still worthwhile considering.
A list of these smaller charities and what they accept can be found here: Where to Donate Clothing In Australia – A Full Guide.
As mentioned, your items need to be in good condition. But what does that even mean?
It means the clothing should meet these minimum standards:
Minimum standard:
That is the bare minimum standard that clothing would need to meet to be acceptable for donation to any charity.
This helps answer this question…
What clothes should not be donated?
When donating clothes to charity you should not donate clothing that is ripped, torn, stained, smelly or in need of a wash. Clothing must be clean and usable before you donate them to any charity.
This generally rules out underwear and socks, since they tend to be stained. But don’t trash these! Check out this blog post for more information: What To Do With Old Underwear, Bras and Socks – Practical Tips.
As noted in the previous section, clothing with logos should not be donated. Contact your school or workplace to see if they will take back used clothing. Perhaps they can accept used clothing to sell to others. Perhaps they may have a recycling program in place, by partnering with organisations such as Worn Up or Loop Upcycling. Worth asking.
But the key is to ensure you do not donate clothing that is damaged!
If damaged items are donated to charities, charities have to pay to send these items to landfill.
It costs Australian charities around $13 million per year to send unusable donations (largely clothing) to landfill. This money comes out of charitable funds that could have been used to help those in need.
Consider other options available, which I cover in this blog post What to Do With Clothes that CANNOT be Donated
Now if you really care about what happens to the clothing you donate, you will want to go beyond the minimum standard. Even if your clothes meet the minimum standard, it does not guarantee they won’t end up in landfill because they could still end up in landfill overseas.
This can happen if the clothes you donate are not suitable for sale in Australia. When they don’t sell here, they are sold overseas instead. And once there, there is a risk they end up in landfill.
If you want to know more about this, have a read of What REALLY Happens to Donated Clothes in Australia?
To prevent this from happening you would need to set the bar higher, ensuring your clothing meets the additional standard discussed in the next section.
What clothing sells best in a charity shop?
The style of the clothes and the quality of the item play a big part in determining whether clothing will sell well in a charity shop. And branding plays an important role as well. Barely used clothing, high-quality brands and vintage items tend to do well.
These were the key elements that a charity shop owner in the US looked for when selecting items to sell in her store:
And it wouldn’t be any different in Australia.
Smart Company surveyed 515 Australian female-identifying consumers and found that many shopped the second-hand market not because they were frugal or eco-conscious but because they were style conscious.
Style is an important consideration to ensure clothing sells well in second-hand stores.
Last season’s fashion trends do not sell well. I have observed that anything that was considered trendy since the 2010s would not sell well now. I am sure there are numerous exceptions to this rule but as a blanket rule it works.
So I would say your clothing would need to meet this additional standard. This will prevent your Salvo and Vinnies clothes donations from being shipped overseas.
Additional standard:
It is not enough for an item to be clean and all in one piece – it needs to show very little signs of wear.
Anything tired and worn out does not sell because of other cheaper options available on the fast fashion market.
Finally, the brand matters when deciding what clothes to give to charity.
High-street brands like Country Road, Witchery, Seed etc do well. Cheap fast fashion, which you can find online or from stores like Kmart, doesn’t do well.
Charities can’t sell these because they were so cheap to begin with – they can’t make them any cheaper. Also, these clothes don’t last long. By the time they reach second-hand stores, they look worn out.
However, donating clothing from fast fashion brands is okay if they are brand new.
These are all important aspects to consider if you want to ensure your clothing remains in Australia, helping charities raise money for the projects they run.
So if this matters to you, in addition to the minimum standard for clothing donations, make sure your clothing meets the additional standard noted above.
If you find your clothing does not meet this additional standard and you don’t know what you should do next, have a read of What to Do With Clothes that CANNOT be Donated
Donating clothing to those in need is a worthwhile exercise – so don’t be scared off by all these “rules” I have mentioned.
It isn’t that complicated as long as you keep in mind the saying “If you wouldn’t give it to a mate, don’t donate”, which I think sums it up perfectly.
If you are at a loss for what that means, use the two checklists noted in this article to help you out. If your item ticks all the boxes, donate away. If not, consider the options mentioned here: What to Do With Clothes that CANNOT be Donated
And good on you for caring and wanting to make sure your clothing is donated right.
xxx Tahsin
FAQ
Do charity shops take bras?
In general, the major charities in Australia do accept bras. However because this is such a personal and intimate item and one that is generally subject to a lot of wear and tear, it would have to be in near-new condition for it to be suitable for donation.
But that doesn’t mean your used bras need to go in landfill.
For more information on this and what you can do with used bras, refer to What To Do With Old Underwear, Bras and Socks – Practical Tips.
Do charity shops take underwear?
In general, Australian charities do not reject underwear donations. However, you should only donate brand-new underwear to these stores if you truly intend them to go to someone in need.
Save the Children specifically states on its website that it would not accept underwear or swimwear in any of its stores. But neither the Red Cross, The Salvation Army nor Lifeline mentioned whether or not they rejected underwear donations.
A call to these stores confirmed they accept new underwear. I asked about used underwear in good condition, not stained and they said that was fine.
Even so, when it comes to donating underwear only donate new, never worn pieces. And I would apply the same rule to swimwear.
Like bras, this does not mean used underwear needs to end up in landfill.
For more information on this and what you can do with used underwear, refer to What To Do With Old Underwear, Bras and Socks – Practical Tips.
Can used socks be donated?
Used socks should not be donated to charities as used socks are invariably stained or stretched. Clothing that is stained or not in its original form can not be donated to charities – it does not meet the minimum conditions for donations.
However, if the socks have never been worn or are near new with no stains or stretching then you could donate them. I would hand them over to the person sorting out items in the store instead of dumping them in a bag where they get lost amongst other items.
If your socks are not in the condition to be donated, refer to What To Do With Old Underwear, Bras and Socks – Practical Tips for more options.
After more information? You may be interested in....
What to Do With Unwanted Old Clothes – A Complete Guide – for a full list of options, based on how many items you have and what condition they are in
The BEST Places to Sell Clothing Online in Australia – a full guide that will help you choose the best place sell your clothes, covering all clothing types and situations
Is Selling Your Clothes Worth It? Tips to Help You Out – a deep dive into selling clothing online, what price to set and what you can do to make the process easier for you
Where to Donate Clothing In Australia – A Full Guide – the best places to donate your fit for wear clothing, including what to do with a bulk lot of clothes
What REALLY Happens to Donated Clothes in Australia – an exploration of the second hand clothing market in Australia and whether its a good idea to donate clothing to charities
Do charity and thrift stores wash donated clothing? – if you were wondering if charities wash clothing and why clothes from charities smell the same
Throwing Away Old Clothes – Can You and Should You Bin Them? – if you want to know what happens when clothes are thrown into landfill, charity or recycling bins
What to Do With Clothes that CANNOT be Donated – a full guide on what to do with clothes that are not fit for wear
Where to Recycle Clothing in Australia – All Options Covered – a full list of places that accept clothing for recycling, along with details on what REALLY happens when they take your clothes
What To Do With Old Underwear and Bras – Practical Tips – if you want to know whether you can donate underwear and bras, as well as practical reuse and recycling options
I have ultra sensitive skin so i remove the labels. Clothes are usually high end. Can I donate these items?
Sorry about the late reply.
Yes absolutely you can donate clothes without labels.
All the best,
Tahsin
Can we challenge traditional notions of donation criteria and encourage charities to accept all types of clothing, including undergarments like bras, undies, and socks, in order to reduce textile waste and promote sustainability in the fashion industry?”,
“refusal
I get where you are coming from but not sure if it should fall on charities. Would be great if clotihng companies offered this service, taking responsibility for poor quality products and mass production. Maybe one day…