Taking your pre-loved clothes down to the local charity shop feels like an indisputably good deed. But what if you’re actually doing more harm than good? A series of recent reports have shone a spotlight on the fact that charity shops are being overwhelmed with poor quality, damaged and often dirty clothes that can’t be sold on.
“With the rise of fast fashion, alongside the popularity of online resale platforms, receiving increasing amounts of unsuitable [and] unsellable items is a growing challenge for charity shops,” Rachel Cosgrove-Pearce, retail director at Oxfam, tells Vogue. “This adds to the time and resources needed to sort donations, and can reduce both the volume and value of what we’re able to sell.”
Even though reselling items online means keeping them in circulation and preventing them from going into landfill, it’s clearly having a major knock-on effect for charities. According to one recent study, 38 per cent of charity bosses say that the quality of donations has fallen as a result of the resale boom, while 19 per cent of people admit that the quality of clothes they now donate is “significantly lower” because they save their best items for selling on.
It’s worth remembering that charity shops are run by volunteers, who are the ones dealing with the bags of poor quality clothes being dumped on their doorstep. Fair fashion campaigner and charity shop volunteer Venetia La Manna has seen with her own eyes some of the shocking items being donated by people. “The black bin liners dropped outside the shop, which isn’t permitted, fill me with dread,” she says. “Think mouldy coats covered in dog hair, musty smelling school uniforms, stained shirts and smelly bras.”
In fact, it’s estimated that only 25 per cent of clothes donated are actually sold on by charity shops. The rest is typically shipped overseas to countries like Ghana, Chile, India and Pakistan, with up to 40 per cent of these garments ultimately ending up in landfill because they can’t be reused. So even if you think your unwanted clothes are going to a good cause, they may still be contributing to fashion’s enormous waste problem.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to be more conscious about what you’re donating – particularly as these clothes are still a crucial source of income for charities. Below, we asked the experts for their top tips on how to donate responsibly.
Wash your clothes beforehand
It seems obvious, but it’s clear that lots of people are not making sure their clothes are clean before donating them. “Most charity shops don’t have space for washing machines,” La Manna notes. If an item is stained, it’s unlikely to find a new home, says Cosgrove-Pearce – so put those items in a textile recycling bank.
Make any repairs needed
Similarly, if an item is damaged, it’s not going to be possible to sell it on. “If it needs a button sewn back on or a zip fixed, do that first, because a small repair at home often determines whether a garment is worn again or goes to waste,” explains Sol Escobar, founder and CEO of Give Your Best. If you’re not able to make the repair yourself, organisations like Traid often host free repair workshops, or find your nearest repair café, run by local volunteers.
Think seasonally
If you’re not shopping for summer clothes right now, it’s unlikely anyone else is either. That’s why seasonal donations are important, says Escobar. “Coats and boots donated in autumn, when people are actually looking for them, have a far better chance than the same items cleared out in June,” she explains.
Ask charity shops what they want
If you’re unsure whether your local charity shop actually wants your pre-loved items, it’s worth getting in touch to ask. “My best advice is to check ahead with your local charity shop to see if they’re accepting clothing donations, and ask what sort of things they’re after,” La Manna says.
Indeed, it helps to cater your donations based on what an organisation actually needs. Give Your Best’s online platform, for example, provides clothes directly to women and children who aren’t able to afford them. The organisation welcomes “practical clothes for everyday life like warm coats, comfortable shoes, outfits for job interviews,” Escobar explains, along with children’s clothes and items in bigger sizes.
Don’t dismiss one-of-a-kind, vintage items
Amid a sea of fast fashion, don’t discount the more unusual pieces that you have in your wardrobe. “Second-hand is often at its best when you find something you wouldn’t see on everyone else,” says Cosgrove-Pearce. “Unique and vintage pieces are always wanted; your old retro find could become someone else’s treasure.”
Only donate what you’d give a friend
The best rule of thumb? “Don’t donate anything that you wouldn’t be proud to give to a friend,” says La Manna. “We want wearable pieces people get excited about finding, as well as everyday staples,” adds Cosgrove-Pearce. “Anything in good condition that someone else might discover, wear and love.”