Where to Donate Clothes in Australia
Most of us have clothes in our closets that we no longer wear. Maybe they’re out of style or don’t fit quite right anymore. Whatever the reason, it can be tough to know what to do with these clothes. You may not want just to throw them away, but you also don’t want to keep them around any longer.
If this sounds like you, you may be wondering where to donate clothes. There are a few different options for donating clothes. You could donate them to a local thrift store, or you could donate them to a clothing drive. In addition, you can also give clothes to a specific charity, such as a shelter or an organisation that provides clothing for people in need.
Whichever option you choose, donating clothes is a great way to declutter your closet and help others in the process. Keep reading to learn more about the 15 best places to donate your used clothes and how you can get professional movers to help make donating easier.
➜ Also check our Where to Donate Furniture in Sydney guide
Op Shops or Charity Shops to Donate Clothes in Australia
A worthy charity shop or opportunity shop (op shop for short) is a store where people can buy used clothing, furniture, electrical goods, running shoes and other household items. Charities or non-profit organisations usually run these shops, and the money raised from selling items goes toward the organisation’s work.
If you have used clothing to donate responsibly, these are great places to start. Australia has no shortage of op shops or stores where your clothing can be donated to charity.
Where to Donate Clothes Sydney
Here are some of the op and charity shops where you can donate clothes in Sydney:
Vinnies Waverley, Sydney
This blue store contains some good fashion items such as:
- Denim Country Road Skirts
- Sass and Bide Coat
- Jungle Print Capris
It is an excellent choice for adding your used wear to its free collection of thrift wear.
Vinnies Glebe, Sydney
Vinnies Glebe Centre stands out despite having over 50 stores in the capital city of Sydney alone. Dedicated to clothes alone, Vinnies Glebe has so much clothing in stock but is not stuffy because it is well organised. Products available include:
- Princess Highway Dress
- Alannah Hill Cardigans
- Flower Print Shirts
- Elizabeth and James Strapless
You will be satisfied after donating the clothes here.
Lifeline Balgowlah, Sydney
Let’s move away from Sydney and head to the north coast. In Balgowlah, you can find Lifeline Balgowlah – a shop packed with quality items but at affordable prices. It’s easy to donate clothes here, and you get the satisfaction of knowing that your contribution will be helping people in need.
They also have dresses of various styles and sizes, ranging from Roman emperors to hippies or flamenco dancers. Lifeline Balgowlah offers to rent clothes if people want to get a particular dress for an occasion and only need to wear it once. The stock quality makes it a worthy choice for giving out your clothes.
Where to Donate Clothes Melbourne
Here are some of the op and charity shops where you can donate clothes in Melbourne:
Savers Recycle Superstore, Melbourne
As the name implies, Savers really lives up to its status as a superstore. There are many branches of this store located in Melbourne. The Heatherton store located inside the Moorabbin Super Centre is worth mentioning. It has so many items available that you may spend hours checking them out. Savers also offers a voucher for a 20 percent discount if you donate clothes to them.
Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne
An ideal choice for quality vintage items in a well-positioned store is a great option, and the Brotherhood of St Laurence has all this goodness to offer. It’s a great choice for giving out your clothes.
Where to Donate Clothes Brisbane
Here are some of the op and charity shops where you can donate clothes in Brisbane:
Connected Inc, Brisbane
Connected Inc is a non-profit organisation that helps people in difficult situations, such as those facing homelessness, domestic violence, or natural disasters. They also offer assistance to people with disabilities. They accept donations of various household items in good condition, which they then sell in their thrift store or give to those in need.
Items they accept include:
- Electrical items in working order
- Furniture
- Kitchenware
- Toys
- Clothing
- Manchester and more..
Do-op Shop, Brisbane
Do-Op Shop is a community-focused charity. Shopping there isn’t just about finding great deals on gently used items, it’s about supporting local causes. They believe a strong community can uplift people and fight loneliness. By donating your unwanted items, from furniture to clothes, you help them directly fund other local charities doing important work.
Where to Donate Clothes Gold Coast
Here are some of the op and charity shops where you can donate clothes in Gold Coast:
Newlife Care, Gold Coast
Newlife Care fights hunger in their community by offering emergency food assistance to those facing tough times. They believe everyone deserves access to basic food needs.
Their support goes beyond food. They offer a variety of services to help individuals and families facing challenges, such as homelessness, disabilities, or any other hardship.
You can directly contribute to their work by donating good quality clothing and items to their thrift store. Shopping there also helps! By supporting Newlife Care, you’re helping build a stronger community for everyone.
Local and International Communities to Donate Clothes
1. Churches
Many churches do not only preach about charity but are also actively involved in giving to the needy. Some of these donations are provided through missionaries on evangelism, periodic outreaches to homeless people, and fundraising events for the needy.
2. Community Outreach Centres
Community outreach centres are most likely willing to receive your cloth donations. They give it to needy families or homeless people in your area. Some hold regular campaigns to raise money and collect items for charity.
3. American Red Cross
One of the world’s largest and most-respected charity organisations, the American Red Cross, reaches out to several people with dire needs worldwide. People include victims of disasters, epidemics, and war outbreaks. It has a partnership with other organisations that support Red Cross teams. An example is GreenDrop which resells donated items to op shops or charity shops to benefit the American Red Cross.
4. Planet Aid
Planet Aid is a charity organisation. It focuses on making it easy for people to donate and recycle clothes. It collects the clothing and resells it in developing countries, with all proceeds for poverty alleviation projects.
Among its missions is protecting the environment by saving the amount of textile materials going to landfills and recycling them for charity instead.
Planet Aid will gladly accept your clothing donations as long as they are not wet, dirty, or contain mould. Ensure the clothes are well packaged in a bag and placed in yellow drop-off bins belonging to the organisation near you.
5. Goodwill
Besides charity, Goodwill also offers vocational skill acquisition training to people with barriers to finding employment. These include people laid off by their employers, veterans, the disabled, and those who do not possess marketable job skills or don’t have resumes.
6. One Warm Coat
This organisation accepts new or somewhat worn clothing for men, women, and children. It is dedicated to providing free coats for people in need of the warmth of thick clothing. Established in 1992, One Warm Coat has helped over 6.6 million people get warmth through coat donations and has hosted more than 38,000 events for the donation of coats.
7. Dress for Success
This organisation is ready to accept your excess professional or business casual dresses. This company provides low-income women with clothing appropriate for business settings. Dress for Success also helps women secure jobs, maintain jobs and develop their careers. It operates in 150 cities and across 25 countries, assisting the careers of more than 1.2 million women globally.
Cloth donations can be dropped at a Dress for Success affiliate location near you. Each location has its specific time of operation, and a phone call should notify you before making your donation. You also have to ensure that the clothes are laundered and in good condition.
8. Wounded Heroes Australia
The Wounded Heroes Australia charity organisation is dedicated to serving and promoting the welfare of former soldiers. It collects clothes that are either donated directly to the veterans or resold to op shops to generate funds for initiatives and programs for the welfare of the veterans.
Wounded Heroes’ headquarters is located at The Wounded Heroes Veterans Centre 41 Brisbane Road, Bundamba. City of Ipswich QLD 4305.
So, in case you are passionate about war heroes and you’d like to help ease their lives, you can reach out to Wounded Heroes now. They accept large and small pieces of furniture, toys, dresses, hoodies, trousers and other items.
9. Free the Girls
Donating clothes to Free the Girls helps empower female survivors of sex trafficking in third-world countries, including El Salvador, Mozambique, and Uganda. Free the Girls accepts second-hand bras to donate to the females so they can sell them in second-hand markets in their communities. This helps to support them and their families.
10. The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a large Christian organisation operating in 130 countries and assists millions of people worldwide. These include disaster victims, victims of domestic violence, aged people, people recovering from addictions, and veterans. You can donate your clothes to Salvation Army Australia.
How to Donate Clothes: Tips for Packing Clothes in Plastic Bags and Donation
If you want to donate clothes to a local charity or op shop, you may wonder what packaging to use. While some organisations may have specific requirements, you can use a plastic bag to package clothes for donation.
However, you can save yourself the stress that comes with packaging and transporting the clothing yourself by hiring an expert moving company.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when packing clothes for donation.
- Ensure clothing clean and free of any stains or damage.
- Fold the clothes neatly and place them in a plastic bag. It’s a good idea to use bags that are as clear as possible, so donors can easily see what they’re getting.
- Use tape or stickers on the bag to indicate the type of clothing inside (shirts, pants, skirts, baby items) and how many items are in the bag (e.g., 2 shirts). This helps make the donation process easier for both you and the recipients of your donations.
- If you have multiple items that need to be folded together, such as underwear or t-shirts, put them in the same bag. This saves you and the charity from having to separate each item individually.
- Don’t overpack your bags; there should be plenty of room for clothing inside without being overly bulky or heavy.
- Make sure all items are clearly visible through the plastic bag. If recipients can’t see what they are getting, they may choose not to accept the donation.
- If you’re donating clothes like dresses or garments with tags still attached, remove them before packing for donation. Some organisations accept cloth bags that have been properly sealed and labeled for donation, but others may require donations to be made in plastic bags.
- Consult your charity or thrift store before trying any of the above packaging solutions so you’re sure of what they need from donors.
Benefits of Engaging in Clothing Donations
● An Act of Generosity
Donating clothes is necessary to show that we care about others and are willing to share instead of being greedy. It is based on acknowledging that life does not revolve around just one person and offering a helping hand to a needy neighbour is a way of living with purpose. As a golden rule, it fosters global interdependence and improved social interaction.
● Decluttering
When you donate clothes, you give your home a breathing space by removing the extra clothing you do not wear regularly. Your room no longer gets stuffy, and you might even find some of your items that have been missing for a long time.
● Tax Reduction
Giving away your clothing to the needy is an excellent way to reduce taxation imposed on you by the government, especially on generosity.
Collect a tax receipt from the organisation where you leave donations to obtain tax reduction. The tax receipt should contain the date, location, and description of your donated product to the organisation.
The organisation can also estimate the value of your pre-loved clothes. The Salvation Army Australia, for instance, can help you with this. You can personally record the donation details if you cannot get a tax receipt.
● Helping Small Businesses
Giving out professional attire assists the survival of some small business organisations that resell them for low prices.
● An Example for Children
Giving outwears to people that really need them is a good way to instill values of generosity in your kids as a parent. As a family member is important in raising children to become responsible members of society who do not care for themselves only but take every opportunity to help out a neighbour.
Besides instructing your kids on the importance of these values, you should also demonstrate generosity while they observe.
● Recycling
Creating an eco-friendly environment is a major global challenge. Controlling the amount of waste that goes to landfills by recycling is one of the major ways to tackle this challenge.
By donating clothes to those in need instead of throwing them away, you can help make the world a more eco-friendly place.
● Relief Aid
By donating clothes to charities or poor community, you assist those who cannot afford them but are in dire need. Your donated goods reach orphans, homeless people, disaster victims, veterans, and people with certain diseases. Some charity organisations can convert your donations into monetary donations to reach the needy.
Ways to Give Your Old Clothes New Life
Donating to traditional charities is a fantastic way to give pre-loved clothes a second chance. But what about those items that are a little worse for wear, or perhaps out of style? Here are some alternative ways to ensure your old garments don’t end up in landfills:
- Repurpose and Upcycle: Unleash your inner designer! Fabric scraps can be transformed into headbands, tote bags, or even coasters. Old t-shirts can be cut up for cleaning rags or dyed and used for new creations. The internet is full of upcycling inspiration!
- Host a Clothes Swap Party: Gather your friends and have everyone bring a bag of clothes they no longer wear. It’s a fun way to refresh your wardrobe and give new life to old items, all while socialising.
- Brand Take-Back Initiatives: Many brands like H&M and Nike have programs that accept old clothes, even if they’re damaged. These are then recycled or repurposed into new products.
- Animal Shelters: While not suitable for every item, animal shelters often appreciate old towels, blankets, and even ripped clothing for bedding for the animals.
- Online Marketplaces: Platforms like [online selling platform] allow you to sell your gently used clothes to others who might appreciate them.
- Clothing Swapping Apps: There are apps designed specifically for clothes swapping, where you can trade your unwanted items for something new.
Remember: Even with these alternatives, some clothes may be truly unusable. Check with local textile recycling programs – they can often handle these items and give them a new life as insulation or industrial materials.
By thinking outside the box, you can ensure your old clothes continue to be useful and don’t contribute to textile waste.
How to Donate Clothes Right: What to Keep, What to Toss
Donate with Care! This guide will help you make informed decisions about clothing donations.
- Quality Matters: Clothes should be clean, stain-free, and in good condition. Ripped, torn, or smelly items take up valuable sorting time and can even cost charities money to dispose of.
- Underwear and Socks: These are typically not accepted due to hygiene concerns. However, there are alternative solutions – check out the linked blog post for details!
- Think Twice About Logos: Certain charities might not accept logo-heavy clothing. Consider offering these items to schools, workplaces, or recycling programs (see linked blog post for ideas!).
Donating unusable clothes actually hurts charities. The cost of disposing of these items reduces funds available for their core mission. So please, only donate good quality items!
While meeting the basic standards is great, there’s more you can do! Since some donated clothing may end up overseas, it’s important to consider:
- Marketability: Clothes that wouldn’t sell in Australia might not sell elsewhere either. Consider donating more stylish or current pieces.
- Learn More: Explore what really happens to donated clothing in Australia.
By following these tips, you can ensure your clothing donations are truly helpful and avoid creating unnecessary waste.
Finding Your Perfect Donation Spot
Once you’ve sorted your pre-loved clothes, it’s time to find them a new home! Here’s a breakdown of some popular donation options:
Local Charity Shops:
- Location-based options: These are gems! Search online for “charity shops near me” or “thrift stores in my area”. This ensures your donations directly support local causes you care about.
- Collection points: Many charities have dedicated drop-off points where you can conveniently leave your donations. Check their website or social media for locations and accepted items.
Retailers with Donation Bins:
- Supermarkets: Many large supermarkets have partnered with charities and offer donation bins in their stores. It’s a quick and easy way to donate while you shop.
- Shopping centers: Similar to supermarkets, some shopping centers have designated clothing donation bins. Look for signage near entrances or exits.
Online Platforms:
- Websites for postal donations: If you have a large volume to donate, some charities have partnered with online platforms that allow you to schedule a postal pick-up for your donations.
- Apps for arranging pick-ups: Several apps connect you with charities or organisations that will pick up your donations directly from your home.
Remember: Before you donate, always check the specific guidelines of your chosen organisation. Some may have limitations on the types of clothing they accept, or require items to be in good condition.
By following these tips, you can ensure your unwanted clothes find a responsible and impactful new life.
Where Can I Find Clothing Donation Bins Near Me
Donating clothes is a fantastic way to give pre-loved items a second life, while also helping those in need and reducing textile waste. If you’re ready to declutter your closet and donate some gently used garments, you might be wondering – where can I find clothes donation bins?
The good news is, there are likely several options close by! Here are a few ways to track down convenient charity bins:
- Search online: Several national donation organisations maintain clothes donation bins locators on their websites. Entering your zip code will reveal nearby drop-off points.
- Think local: Many charities, thrift stores, and community centers accept clothing donations. Check their websites or social media pages for bin locations.
- Retail partnerships: Some retail stores partner with donation organisations and have charity bins located inside or outside their stores.
Here are some additional tips for donating clothes:
- Sort through your items: Only donate clothes that are in good condition, and free of rips, stains, and tears.
- Check donation guidelines: Each organisation may have specific guidelines about what they accept. Look for information on their website or a posted sign at the bin.
- Pack your donations neatly: Fold or bag your clothes to keep them clean and protected during transport.
By donating your gently used clothing, you’re contributing to a more sustainable future and helping those in your community.
Can I Donate Clothes Directly to Homeless
While the urge to directly hand clothes to someone experiencing homelessness can be strong, there are some factors to consider to ensure your donation is truly helpful.
- Unexpected Needs: People experiencing homelessness may not be looking for the specific items you have on hand.
- Large Quantities: Carrying a large bag of clothes can be burdensome for someone without a permanent home.
A better solution is to go to local homeless shelters and charities often have established systems for distributing clothing donations. They can ensure items are appropriate for the climate and fit the needs of their clients.
Shelters can often wash and store donated clothes, which may not be feasible for a direct donation.
If you’re committed to directly helping those in need, consider volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. This allows you to build relationships and understand the specific needs of the community.
Think about smaller, essential items that would be readily accepted, like socks, underwear, or hand warmers.
Remember:
Donating to shelters or charities is a great way to ensure your clothes reach those who need them most. However, if you’re set on a direct approach, prioritise small, essential items and be respectful of the recipient’s needs.
Final Thoughts
Donating clothes to charities in Australia has a lot of benefits to offer the donor. Apart from the fact that you are freeing up your wardrobe for new ones to settle in, you are making life more liveable for the less privileged. You can also sell your wear and get some extra cash. You can hire professional movers to help ease the process of transporting the items you are donating. Finally, donate all those clothes you no longer need today, and you’ll thank yourself later.