What to Do With Unwanted Old Clothes - A Complete Guide
This article was last updated in 2023
If you have gone through a huge declutter and have a pile of unwanted clothes, or a loved one has passed away and you’re not sure what to do with all the clothes that have been left behind, or your favourite knit top shrank to an impossibly small size and you don’t want to throw it into landfill
– any situation that leaves you with clothes you no longer want, this guide is for you.
– any situation that leaves you with clothes you no longer want, this guide is for you. Here I get into what to do with clothing you no longer need, want or love.
What to do with unwanted old clothes depends on the condition it is in and how much you have to deal with. The options include reselling, repurposing, recycling or composting. If you have a lot of items on hand, there are organisations out there that can help you through these options.
This guide breaks down the various options based on how much clothing you have on hand and what condition they are in. I cover:
It may help you to know what is meant by “clothes in good condition”, the flip side being “clothes not fit for wear”. People can have varying points of view about this.
The way it has been defined here is: Clothing that is clean, not torn and not in need of repair is considered “in good condition”. Anything else is considered “not fit for wear”.
Use this definition to decide which of the links above will give you the information you need.
The options covered in this guide include:
If you already know what option you are interested in, you can click on one of the links above for more information.
This is a very pragmatic guide – I’m not offering the most environmentally friendly solution under each scenario. Just the one that makes the most sense given the circumstances – a solution that is manageable, not a burden.
The aim is to avoid landfill. There are strong reasons to avoid sending clothes to landfill, as explained in the blog post Throwing Away Old Clothes – Can You and Should You Bin Them?
It’s not a difficult goal to achieve if you take advantage of the different options available to you.
What to do with a bulk lot of clothes in good condition
If you have a pile of clothes in good condition, the best thing to do is to give it away to someone that can make use of it. But if you would like to make some money and you are willing to put in a bit of effort, there are several options you can consider to sell your items.
Give them away to someone in need
If you are happy to give away your clothes, here’s what I suggest:
1. Give away to friends or family members – perhaps there is someone in your life that might be interested in the items. This is typically the case when it comes to kid’s clothing, but it might also be the case for someone who has recently moved from overseas or life has left them without their usual set of clothes. Take a couple of photos and send them across and see what they say.
2. Donate to community or church groups – you or someone you know may be part of a community or church group collecting items for people in need. Perhaps there is a local women’s shelter, crisis accommodation or social housing project in your area. It’s worthwhile to ask or check Google to find out what’s nearby.
3. Donate to specialised charities – some charities focus on a particular group of people in need, for example, people looking for work or new mums. For a list of these types of charities, refer to Where to Donate Clothing In Australia – A Full Guide.
4. Facebook marketplace and freecycle groups – this is so easy to do and you would be surprised at how many people would jump at the chance to grab a bulk lot of clothing. I recommend this for getting rid of bulk clothing because you don’t have to be too particular about the quality of photos you take.
The last option works the best in my experience.
These options are covered further in the blog post Where to Donate Clothing In Australia – A Full Guide.
The go-to for most people is to donate clothing to one of the major charities, such as the Red Cross, St Vincent de Pauls or the Salvation Army. These organisations are great for what they do but unfortunately, not everything that is sent to them ends up being reused by someone in need.
Around 33% of donations are sold overseas and it has been reported that these are not reused as the charities would wish them to be – the clothes often flood overseas markets, killing local trade and eventually end up in landfill.
More information on this can be found in the blog post What REALLY Happens to Donated Clothes in Australia.
For that reason, I encourage you to consider the other options mentioned above.
If they don’t work out for you, then, of course, take advantage of the services the larger charities. However, you need to make sure your clothing is not only in good condition but is also fit for resale.
For more information on this, refer to Donating Clothing? Know What You Can or Can’t Donate.
You will need to wash your clothing before donating, for the reasons mentioned in Do charity and thrift stores wash donated clothing?
And if you are wanting to give away items like underwear and bras, refer to What To Do With Old Underwear and Bras – Practical Tips.
Sell bulk clothing online or in person
If you want to sell a bulk lot of clothing, your best option is to try Facebook Marketplace. But since this is usually full of bargain hunters, you may have better luck selling in person at a market or garage sale. Other online options for selling clothing are not the best for bulk sales.
Most online selling platforms require you to list each item individually and this can get overwhelming if you want to sell a bulk lot of clothing.
If this doesn’t worry you, check out The BEST Places to Sell Clothing Online in Australia for a list of options to consider.
But back to the options I do recommend:
1. Facebook marketplace – Marketplace is not only for giving away items – you can sell items on there of course! And you can sell a bulk lot of clothes. Follow the tips mentioned in The BEST Places to Sell Clothing Online in Australia to help you along.
Pricing will need to be quite generous as people on Marketplace are after a bargain!
2. Sell at markets – Google your location and “markets” and see what pops up. See if you can book a stall to sell.
This Sydney-sider earned $1,000 selling her clothes this way: https://londonerinsydney.com/make-1000-selling-old-clothes-sydney-market/
Or try a dedicated second-hand clothing market like those organised by Round She Goes Market.
There may also be a dedicated baby and kids market in your area. Google your location and “baby and kids markets” to see what pops up. If your location does not bring up anything and you are in a metro area, try the same of your capital city instead.
3. Sell at a garage sale – you could hold your own garage sale… but in metro areas, it can be really hard to get any measure of success there!
You could sell at the Garage Sale Trail. The Garage Sale Trail runs once a year throughout Australia. It brings together people who want to sell their unwanted clothing and other used items. You could find an event in your area that you can join or you can sell online during the event day.
More information can be found here: https://www.garagesaletrail.com.au/
The best part about this these options is that you don’t have to put in too much effort to get customers to come to you – lovers of second-hand fashion are coming to these marketplaces wanting second-hand items to supplement their wardrobe. You might have the very thing they are looking for…
I typically give away clothing when I can, to family or through Facebook Marketplace. I have also sold clothing through a Baby and Kids market in Sydney. It’s a lot of work but I got a couple of hundred for a couple of hours of work. I did it for 5 years as a result. It’s surprising how much you can sell.
What to do with a small number of clothes in good condition
If you have a small number of used clothes in good condition, a good way to get rid of them is to put them up for sale. There are so many online and real-life ways to sell clothing since the used clothing market is on the rise. Donating or giving away items is also an option to consider.
For more on giving away items, refer to the section above and the blog post Where to Donate Clothing in Australia – A Full Guide.
If you have a small number of clothes in good condition, putting the time and effort into selling your clothes might end up paying off.
Sell individual clothing items online
According to the Threadup 2022 Resale Report, the second-hand clothing market is expected to have its largest growth in 2022, increasing by 24% and it is expected to grow by 127% by 2026!
Its growth is attributed to changes in technology and the emergence of more and more online markets, as online resale is the fastest-growing sector in the second-hand clothing market.
While the growth in Australia is not as high as it is in North America, it’s still showing signs of significant growth. And the number of online markets is increasing as a result.
If you are wanting to sell your clothing online, here are some platforms you can use, along with links if you are after further information:
The original blog post that explores each of these options can be found here: The BEST Places to Sell Clothing Online in Australia.
It doesn’t require too much effort to sell clothes – you take a picture, write up a description and post it online. Depending on what platform you use, there may be some additional hoops to jump such as setting up an account and linking payment details. And regardless of what platform you use, you need to be prepared to deal with enquiries and the mechanics of sending the item once it sells.
In the blog post on selling clothing online, I answer the following questions:
So check out The BEST Places to Sell Clothing Online in Australia if you want the answers to these questions.
Consignment
There is a great definition on Wikipedia that summarises how consignment works:
Consignment involves selling one's personal goods (clothing, furniture, etc.) through a third-party vendor such as a consignment store or online thrift store. The owner of the goods pays the third-party a portion of the sale for facilitating the sale. Consignors maintain the rights to their property until the item is sold or abandoned. Many consignment shops and online consignment platforms have a set day limit before an item expires for sale. Within the time of contract, reductions of the price are common to promote the sale of the item, but vary on the type of item sold (usually depends on the price point, or if it is considered a luxury.)(usually 60–90 days).
Some of the options mentioned above are online consignment stores – Yordrobe, The Closet, Swapup and Reluv.
They all work essentially the same way – you send in your clothes, they check that it meets their quality standards, they do the work needed to list the item on their online store and when it sells they take a cut and sent the rest of the proceeds to you.
It’s a great option if you have a highly sought-after, high end or vintage item that needs to be marketed to the right audience, ensuring it sells for the right price.
There are also brick-and-mortar consignment stores you can take your items to. To find one near you, Google your location or the name of your closest major city and the words “consignment store” and see if there is one near you.
For fellow Sydneysiders, check out the list of stores mentioned here: https://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/best-sydney-consignment-stores/
Clothing Swaps
If you have a couple of good quality pieces, you could organise a swap party with friends.
This works well if your friends are the same size as you and are into second-hand clothing just as much as you are. And they are into the same style of clothing as you. And they have recently decluttered and are interested in swapping clothes.
That’s a lot of conditions that need to exist all at the same time! So I don’t think this is a viable option unless it is organised in the right way.
Here’s one example of a clothing swap event organised not just amongst friends, but among community members:
Another option is to join a public clothing swap event, like the ones organised by The Clothing Exchange.
The Clothing Exchange was founded in 2004 and has become a regular swapping event across Australia ever since. They run regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania.
How they work is that you set up a stall with your used clothing and based on what you have brought to the event, you get tokens that you can then use to “purchase” items from another stall. There is a limit of 6 items.
They have built up a community of regular swappers into a national network of swappers. It sounds like a lot of fun – if I end up trying it out one day I will report back!
If that interests you check this out: http://www.events.clothingexchange.com.au/events
What to do with a bulk lot of clothes that are not fit for wear
If you have lots of clothes that are not fit for wear or a huge pile of clothing with items in varying conditions that you can not sort through yourself, send them to a textile recovery and recycling centre. They will sort through the items and ensure they are either reused or recycled.
Textile recycling
Textile recovery and recycling centres will make sure the items fit for use are donated to charities that need clothing and those not fit for wear are repurposed into rags or recycled and used in insulation or other textile products.
There aren’t that many textile recovery centres around Australia but there are enough to choose from. Below I’ve listed all known options, with links to a blog post I have written that has further information:
- Recyclesmart (they send clothing collected to H&M)
The original blog post can be found here: Where to Recycle Clothing in Australia – All Options Covered.
The first three options on the list – Upprel, Recyl and After – are paid services. If you can afford these options, they are the best services to use.
The next four mentioned accept specific items only but are still worth checking out.
And the last three are free options that accept a range of items. They aren’t the best options out there and should only be relied on if the paid services cost too much for you.
I don’t recommend the last three because of the lack of transparency around what happens to the clothing H&M and Zara collect. For the most part, clothing suitable for wear is resold by charities and a portion of clothes are recycled. But a portion of clothes that aren’t sold is likely resold to second-hand clothing importers in the Global South. From there the clothing can end up anywhere, sometimes ending up in landfill.
Read What REALLY Happens to Donated Clothes in Australia? if you want to learn more.
So try to avoid H&K and Zara if you can.
But as mentioned, if the paid service costs too much for you and you need a free option, taking your clothes to H&M and Zara are not bad options to consider.
No matter who you go with, you will need to:
- Check the condition of each item of clothing before sending it in and don’t send in anything mouldy, smelly or bug-infested by mistake. I know you wouldn’t do it intentionally, but perhaps it could happen by mistake. So check each item.
- Wash all items before you send them in, even if you think they will end up being recycled. Textile recovery and recycling centres sort through items by hand, so not washing your clothes is a big no-no. Washing will also take care of mouldy clothing or bugs, making them suitable for donations.
- Do not send in items that the organisations won’t accept. Click on the links above for further details on what items each of these collection services will or won’t accept.
Some of these places do not accept underwear – if you send these in, they may end up in landfill. Refer to What To Do With Old Underwear and Bras – Practical Tips if you want to know what to do with used bras and undies.
What to do with a small number of clothes that are not fit for wear
If you have a few items of clothing that are not fit for wear, dropping these off at a textile recovery and recycling centre is a good option. But with a few items on hand, it is worthwhile considering various reuse options – and you don’t have to be great at DIYs to make this work.
Repair and reuse
The first thing to consider is whether it is worthwhile to repair the item. If the item has a tear or a hole and it is something you can see yourself wearing if it was fixed, then consider getting the item repaired.
I’ll admit, it probably won’t be worth your while to give the item to a tailor for repairs. If it was an expensive item of clothing, yes. But a fast fashion item – well, you’ll find the cost to repair is more than the item itself!
In these cases, it is best to do the repair yourself.
The organisation One Army has some great instructional videos around this. If this interests you, you can find out more here:
If doing it yourself is not your thing but you want the item repaired at a reasonable price, you might find a “mending fairy” near you through the Modern Mending Club Facebook group. I have not checked this out myself, but it is an option.
Repurpose
If the item is beyond repair and cannot be reused in its original form, there are still some other reuse options you could take advantage of. Potential options have been listed below with links if you want further information:
The original blog post that explores each of these options can be found here: What to Do With Clothes that CANNOT be Donated.
And if all else fails or you have reused the material to death, send them to a textile recycling centre. See the section above for more information.
Composting
If you can go through your clothes and determine which items are made using 100% natural fibres, then those items can be thrown into your compost bin. If you don’t have a compost bin, perhaps there is someone on the ShareWaste network that can help you.
More information on composting can be found in the blog post: What to Do With Clothes that CANNOT be Donated.
And that’s it.
To say there are options out there is an understatement!
Textile waste is a significant issue in the current global environment. Approximately 14 kg of textiles is discarded by each person in Australia. We are sending 10 kg to landfill and 4 kg to overseas markets, and these clothes quickly end up in landfill.
This needs to be addressed.
Reducing consumption is the key to addressing this issue.
But if that ship has sailed and you are struggling with what you already have, decluttering is key. Once your wardrobe is stripped back you can see what you have and know you don’t need to consume anymore. It sounds counterintuitive, but it works. Only by getting rid of the excess, can you address your consumption habits.
But in getting rid of what you don’t need, you don’t want to be contributing to the textile waste problem.
So I encourage you to explore the options presented here and find one that suits you and your circumstances.
Take your time to declutter and make a positive change 🌏
xxx Tahsin
After more information? You may be interested 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
Donating Clothing? Know What You Can or Can’t Donate – if you need to know what charities do or do not accept and the condition clothing should be in before you donate
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
