Fashion Terms — the Apparel Search fashion terminology directory
Donating clothing to charity is certainly a good idea. However, how do we know that the clothing gets into the hands of people that actually are in need? To be honest, not sure — possibly we should visit a homeless shelter and donate directly to the people who are homeless rather than drop off at a collection point and hope. This page works through the clothing donations question honestly: where donated clothing goes, the role of charities, shelters and thrift shops, and how a donor can give in the way most likely to help, with links to used clothing, thrift shops and second hand fashion.
Donating clothing to charity is certainly a good idea. However, how do we know that the clothing gets in the hands of people that actually are in need? To be honest, not sure. Possibly we should visit a homeless shelter and donate directly to the people that are homeless rather than drop off at a thrift shop.
The donation of clothes, footwear & fashion accessories has many benefits. The obvious benefit is that your donation will hopefully reach a person in need. A few additional benefits to consider are as follows:
Reduce Clutter - do you have an old pair of pants that you have not worn in three years? But yet you are concerned that your closet is too small. It is time to set yourself free of clutter. Get rid of clothing that you don't wear.
Save the Planet - rather than produce new clothing which comes at a cost to the environment, we should better utilize used clothing. Recycle or donate your previously worn clothes.
Generosity Feels Good - help yourself by helping others. Don't be selfish, be generous.
Teach Others - it is not bragging if you inform your family and friends that you have made a contribution. Hopefully you will be leading by example and start a chain reaction of donations.
Helping Others - as indicated already, your donation of apparel can help others. This is glorious.
Learn more about second hand clothing
Important Apparel Search Tip: Please wash the clothing before you donate. The concept of doing good does require some work & common sense. Before you drop off clothes to your local charity, be sure it is clean & decent quality. They don't need dirty or damaged apparel or footwear.
Here are a few questions regarding the donation of clothing to thrift stores & clothing drop off bins:
What percentage of clothing donated reaches the homeless or other people in need?
Why do thrift shops sell clothing instead of keeping the store free?
Do you have old clothes to donate?
Check out your local church, temple, synagogue, and other houses of worship. They may have suggestions in regard to local charities for you to contact. Visit local shelters & search the internet for charitable organizations.
Find a donation center or clothing drop off bin.
Salvation Army https://www.salvationarmyusa.org
GoodWill https://www.shopgoodwill.com/
American Red Cross https://www.redcross.org/
Dress for Success https://dressforsuccess.org
United Way https://www.unitedway.org
Habitat for Humanity https://www.habitat.org
Don't donate to us, we are NOT a non-profit.
The uncertainty this page starts with — whether donated clothes reach people in need — has a practical answer: match the donation to the channel. Shelters, school clothing closets, and programs that outfit people for job interviews distribute garments directly, and they can usually say exactly what they need: sizes, seasons and categories. A quick call or a look at a wish list turns a bag of random cast-offs into the coats and shoes that were actually requested. Charity thrift shops do different work: they convert clothing into money for their programs, which is a legitimate and often more flexible kind of help, but it means your sweater helps as revenue rather than as a sweater.
Condition is the donor's other responsibility. Charities spend real money sorting donations and disposing of what cannot be used or sold, so genuinely worn-out clothing sent to a charity can cost the charity money. The honest split is three-way: good clothing to a shelter or charity shop, saleable better pieces possibly to consignment if you want some return, and worn-out textiles to a clothing recycling program — the stream this directory covers under used clothing and credential clothing, where even unsorted donations have an industry of their own. Sorted that way, nearly every garment you are finished with does some good somewhere.
It depends on the recipient. Clothing given directly to a shelter is used by the people that shelter serves; clothing given to a charity shop is usually sold to raise funds, and unsold or surplus donations may be sold on to recyclers — which is why this page suggests donating directly when you want the clothes themselves to reach people in need.
Clean clothing in good, wearable condition — the test is whether you would give it to a friend. Seasonal basics, coats, sturdy shoes and work-appropriate clothing are what shelters and charities request most; torn or stained items belong in textile recycling instead.
Donation is a gift: the charity keeps the full value. Consignment, covered by its own term in this directory, is a sale through a third party who returns a share of the price to you.