The Best Places to Donate Clothes

As we once again prepare for a big move in the beginning of next year, we’ve started to do some closet cleaning and we’re getting ready to donate some pieces we don’t use as frequently anymore.

I have always loved second hand clothing! After all, I grew up in Cuba in the 90s, where a big economic crisis had left the country using second hand and repurposing everything to survive. After moving to the USA, I was introduced to the world of second hand and vintage items, and I’ve been hunting for treasures ever since. Yet something I have always found is not so easy to navigate is finding good places to donate the pieces that don’t have a purpose or a place in my closet anymore.

I’m always repurposing pieces in my closet, giving them a second (and third!) life, but when something just doesn’t fit anymore or if I feel it will serve someone else better, I love to find a donation place where my clothes could make an impact in someone else's life.

As a frequent traveler, I have had to downsize my closet a few times over the last few years. From New York City to Dublin, I’m always on a quest to find the best places to donate clothes while also supporting some really important causes and doing my part to reduce our footprint in the environment.

But before we get into answering questions like where to donate, it's important to know how to do it. So here are some tips that can help!

How do you know which clothes to donate?

When cleaning out closets or moving, many people decide to go for three piles: one for the things to keep, one to donate, and another one to trash. I recommend doing two piles: one for things to keep, another for things that need a new home. Then, go through the pile of things that need a new home and divide it into two: things in good condition and holey, unwearable/just-not-great pieces.

For those unwearable pieces:

Try to avoid just trashing things at all costs!

Don’t get rid of things that you haven’t worn in a long time or are stained, at least not before trying to repurpose or upcycle them yourself.

Avoid donating holey or unwearable pieces to charity shops and second hand stores. Instead, check if your neighborhood animal shelter might be in need of donations. Many animal shelters used old pieces like towels, shirts and sweaters for animal beds etc.

Take clothes that you can’t donate, like ripped and torn pieces, into fabric and textile recycling organizations that specialize in recycling old unwanted pieces.

For the good-condition clothing, shoes, accessories and other things that you have decided to part ways with, it's time to find them a great new home...

Where to donate clothes to actually make an impact?

There aren’t really any bad places to donate clothes, of course. But, there are always a few easy places that come to mind when speaking of donating clothes worldwide today. Some well known options are parking lot donation bins. And even though every one of these places works differently, I believe there are some ways and some places that have a more responsible and proactive approach in the way they handle donated items and clothes.

When donating clothes or any item, a bit of research always goes a long way.

Shelters and Churches

Churches and shelters are always great places to start, as most of them manage the whole donation process in the same area. So you know the actual good impact your actions have in the community. Refugee and domestic violence shelters are a great place to donate your old clothes, as most people will arrive with little to nothing in their possession.

Please note that shelters who help people living in challenging conditions or those who don't have a secure place to live tend to prefer new or in great condition clothing, as it helps restore some dignity to those facing housing challenges. Some very sought after items are underwear and socks!

Hand to hand

Another way I always recommend donating is hand to hand. If you see or know someone who will benefit from your second hand clothes, just ask if they need some. My friends and I very frequently interchange clothes in NYC. After all, I learned a long time ago that the garbage of some are the treasures of others!

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Another great way to make an impact is to donate some of your pre-loved clothes during natural disasters, as it's a time when many people have lost most of their belongings and a little help goes a long way. If you live in North America and choose to donate to countries in Latin America/ Caribbean that are frequently hit by hurricanes or earthquakes, ask around among your immigrant friends if they know of any reliable organization or if they have friends and family back home in need of some help. If you don’t know anyone, then facebook is always a great place to start. My Cuban and my Caribbean friends use it often when organizing to send some clothes and provisions back home to help.

Charities

Charity shops are another incredible way to support causes that speak to your heart with your clothes. Charity shops are run and owned by a specific charity. They operate, organize, and translate your donations into cash that will help the charity. In many cases, they will also be linked to overseas organizations. Many of them also send their unsold items to countries or places in need.

Child Care & Schools

It wasn’t until recently, when casually discussing spring cleaning closets with one of my friends that works in a daycare, that I discovered that schools, child daycares, and other institutions also accept clothing donations. After a little more in depth research and talking with another friend who is a social worker, I got some more insight on the subject. Many schools and childcare places have donation bins for kids in need. To make sure how and where to donate clothes, simply call your closest social workers office and ask about donations. They are always happy to help!

Our 10 Favorite Places to Donate Clothes

Project G.L.A.M

One of the first organizations I got involved with when moving to NYC was Project G.L.A.M. Project G.L.A.M. works alongside WGIRLS Inc to serve economically unprivileged communities in New York City and give teenage girls access to prom dresses, accessories, jewelry and makeup so they can have an incredible experience at their senior prom.

They are the largest organization of its type in the country, and they have helped more than 14,000 young women to date.

The Project also has a scholarship fund for academic awards for teenage girls/ young women.

Although I haven’t donated any gowns to them, I have worked with them as a volunteer and I can assure you I saw firsthand the difference that this project makes in these young women's lives. So if you own a gown you’d want to donate, there’s definitely no better place than this!

Buffalo Exchange

I love Buffalo Exchange! They have a great selection of second hand clothing, and they offer selling, trading and donating as well. It's the perfect place to do your part for recycling, helping the environment, and giving your preloved pieces a new home, all while making a few extra bucks that you can use to buy a new piece or donate to your charity of choice. The possibilities are endless, and I’m definitely here for it!

Free the girls

Free The Girls is an international organization providing new opportunities and a brighter future to sex trafficking survivors. Their mission is to help these survivors reintegrate into society and take back a place of empowerment in their communities. How can we help? By donating gently used or new bras, survivors can sell them in their local markets to start a business that will provide them with economic security and help them build a life for themselves.

Among the goals of Free the girls are providing not only economic freedom, but also health, educational wealth, and social well-being.

Clothes donations, more specifically bras can include but are not limited to: regular bras, sports bras, nursing bras, and camisoles.

They currently have projects in Uganda, Mozambique, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

Dress for Success

One of the great things about Dress for Success is how many locations they have worldwide. The organization promotes independence for women and supports them in their search for new work opportunities. They accept clothing donations of almost every item, but mostly focus on professional attire. They help with job searches and career development, and provide tools for women looking to reenter the workforce. For men, professional clothing places like Career Gear offer similar opportunities

Housing Works

Housing Works is another one of my favorite places to donate second hand clothing. The store not only provides accessible clothing options for the community, but also works to support people living with HIV/AIDS and provide important support services to those in challenging housing situations. They provide job training, help people find healthcare options, and more, especially for those living in marginalized communities.

H&M

H&M is among the largest fast fashion retailers in the world. So I was happy to hear that they’ve had a clothing collection program since 2013. One step at the time, right? When you bring in your bag of old clothes (of any brand!) they'll give you a thank-you voucher which you can use in stores or online! They even accept clothing in not great condition, which they turn into other products like cleaning cloths.

Nike

Nike accepts donations of all types and brands of athletic shoes. They recycle and find them a new purpose though Nike Grind. All you have to do is drop off your shoes at any of the store locations in the US or Europe. And in select European stores, they also accept clothing donations. It’s all part of their Move to Zero efforts, which work towards a zero-carbon/ zero-waste future.

And if you are looking to get more involved and find out more information about their recycling practices, simply link your donation to your Nike Membership to understand a bit more how their sustainability process works.

Note: There are many other stores that have similar recycling programs. Some that come to mind are Madewell, Patagonia, North Face and Levi’s. It’s also worth mentioning that Apple has a similar program for electronics.

Soles 4 Souls

Soles4Souls is another great organization to donate your old shoes. They utilize shoes and clothing to provide opportunities to people in developing countries looking for new small business ventures through selling the donated shoes and clothes. They also support homeless kids all throughout the 50 states of the U.S.

Green Drop

Green Drop works with several organizations to provide accessible clothing and goods drop-off centers. They also offer at home donation pick-up!

They partner with:

The American Red Cross to raise funds and collect and sell donated items to help fund Red Cross programs and initiatives. Red Cross will accept all gently used clothing (underwear, outwear, sleepwear, formal wear, dresses, hats, gloves), handbags, swimwear, and shoes (boots, sandals, etc)

Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides support and basic necessities to communities all over America, helping everyday folks in need. They provide shelter, clothing, transportation and community/social support.

The National Foundation of the Blind works to erase the society’s barriers about blindness. They support blind people by working to give everyone access to the same kinds of resources and reach their full potential. In partnership with GreenDrop, they turn donations into cash that go towards the individual programs the foundation develops and creates.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation provides support and resources to veterans and their families. The clothes donated through GreenDrop can make a big difference in a veteran’s life.

American Cancer Society Shops

If fighting against Cancer is a cause close to your heart and you have a few vintage items or high quality pieces to give away, donate them to the American Cancer Society. The organization then sells them in their discovery shops, with the funds going towards cancer research.

Merchandise there is always high quality, often collectible and upscale pieces, which helps make a big impact in the fight against cancer. If you don't have any pieces to donate, they are always looking for volunteers to help as well.

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