Donate Clothes

Donate Clothes: used clothing collection to fund British charitable causes

Donate Clothes is a used clothing and textile collection initiative operating in the UK under the company Your Donation Ltd. Its approach is for the donor to choose a charity from its partners, book a collection on a date that suits them and prepare their clothes in their own bag or box. The company handles the collection, sorting and subsequent sale of the items, and gives 82% of the proceeds to the selected organisation.

The service is presented as an alternative to textile banks and direct donation to charity shops, with the particularity that it does not distribute plastic bags through homes. According to the organisation itself, the system aims to reduce plastic use and optimise collection routes. The company states it has been active since 2011 and has raised over £1.98 million for its partner organisations.

Partner charities

The platform allows donations to be directed to a specific organisation or split equally among all of them. The catalogue of partner organisations listed on the site includes:

• The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC): support for the wellbeing services of UK ambulance staff.
• Boot Out Breast Cancer: funding for treatments, clinical trials and breast cancer equipment in the UK's public health system.
• Troop Aid: provision of bags with personal effects and clothing to wounded military personnel admitted to hospital without belongings.
• Shout: free, confidential 24/7 text message support service, run by Mental Health Innovations Charity.
• Dogs Trust: care for dogs in distress and finding new homes, active since 1891.
• Clothing Collective: gift cards redeemable at partner charity shops for people facing clothing poverty.

How the collection works

The process consists of five steps. The user selects the beneficiary organisation, books the collection indicating the date and specific instructions, prepares the clothes in a bag or box, leaves them in the agreed place on the designated day and receives a message with the approximate collection time. Once the items are collected, the company sorts and sells them, and the chosen organisation receives 82% of the proceeds generated.

What can and cannot be donated

The company accepts good quality, clean adult and children's clothing, paired shoes, underwear, lingerie and swimwear. It also accepts accessories such as handbags, belts and jewellery, including gold, silver, fashion and costume pieces, as well as bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings and watches. The list is completed with bed linen, sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, curtains, towels and small soft toys, as well as perfumes, toiletries, laptops, tablets, mobile phones and small bric-a-brac items.

Stained or damaged clothing, rags, wet textiles, duvets, pillows, cushions, books, DVDs, CDs, video games, coat hangers, lampshades, roller blinds, carpets, rugs, plastic toys, board games, puzzles, furniture, mattresses, large electrical appliances and large bric-a-brac items are not accepted.

Environmental context and collaborations

The site uses WRAP data to point out that an estimated £140 million worth of clothing is sent to UK landfill every year and that the value of unused clothes in British wardrobes amounts to £30 billion. The company frames its activity within the circular economy and reducing the impact of fast fashion. Among its published collaborations is an agreement with Scimitar Sports, a manufacturer of custom sportswear, aimed at environmental sustainability.

Editorial content and customer service

The site maintains a news and articles section covering topics such as the comparison between textile banks and home collection, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the work of Dogs Trust, the landfill crisis and the history of Troop Aid. The company offers a frequently asked questions section and a contact form, and handles telephone enquiries Monday to Friday.

Location and contact

Phone: 0330 380 1677 · Email: support@donateclothes.uk · Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00