giving season: how to donate responsibly
to start, while all of these options focus on donating responsibly, I want to say that the best thing we can do for the planet (and the people that call it home) is to buy less. fast fashion has accelerated the amount of clothing waste; over 11 million tons were sent to landfill in the US in 2018. the average US consumer throws away 81.5 lbs. of clothes a year!! (1)
we are buying more things, wearing them less, and throwing them away quicker.
so while all suggestions below focus on more responsible, sustainable ways to cleanse your closet and give to those who are in need, this is generally intended to support a lifestyle of more intentional, less frequent purchasing and lots outfit repeating, not complete closet revamps every season with fast fashion trends.
onto donating…
charities like Goodwill are often overwhelmed with donations and/or receiving items that are in poor quality and not fit for resale. this surplus of items results in many of their donations being sent to landfill.
clothes: when donating to local charities, check that your clothing items are in good condition. it’s also worth a call to your local Goodwill / Salvation Army / etc. to see if they are in need of donations or at capacity. other places to check include homeless shelters, women’s shelters, refugee assistance organization, or local thrift stores.
shoes: Soles4Shoes is an amazing non-profit that supports people in crisis situations, helps entrepreneurs in developing countries start and grow a business, and partners with schools across the US to provide shoes to children experiencing homelessness. you can drop off, ship for free, or even start your own shoe drive.
event dresses - think nicer dresses in your closet, maybe from weddings you attended in years past. i like to donate these to places like Princess Project that provide free prom dresses for teens who aren’t able to afford them.
kitchen goods - this is San Diego specific, but Kitchens For Good is a local non-profit that will take your new or gently used kitchen items and sell them in their shop. revenue from sales goes towards their culinary, baking, and hospitality apprenticeship programs that help individuals facing barriers to employment gain the skills they need. their programs also focus on environmental stewardship. see their donation wishlist here.
gently used blankets, sheets, towels, etc. — these types of goods are typically always needed by animal shelters. give your local shelter a call before swinging by to see what they need. if you’re in San Diego - gently used blankets and new cat or dog toys, treats, and food are on the list for SD Humane Society. they also have chewy and amazon smile wishlists for extra giving ;)
local clothing swap at the Rising Co.
other options for goods that you’d like to give a second life to:
hold or attend a clothing swap - there are typically community clothing swaps every so often that you can find through eventbrite, instagram, or facebook groups. you can also hold a clothing swap with your friends for clothing, shoes, jewlery, etc. that you no longer need or wear.
re-sale sites: thred-up, depop, and poshmark are all popular re-sale sites where you can list clothing, shoes, accessories that you are no longer using. i personally have only used poshmark and like that the app is easy to use, quick to list your item, and does not include a shipping cost for the seller. you chose what you list your item at, can easily drop the price or offer bundles (multiple items) to buyers at a deal.
for clothes that have lived a good life (aka not in good enough condition to donate) but that you don’t want to throw away, consider:
For Days Take Back Bag: this Take Back bag is a super cool way to ensure your old clothes get recycled instead of incinerated. simply go onto their website, order a bag for $20, get a $20 clothing credit, and get a bag shipped to you. they take all textiles in any condition and work with recycling partners to divert the items from landfill, saving an estimated 16,000 gallons of water and 118 lbs of CO2 emissions!
Thousand Fell: Thousand Fell’s SuperCircle program is dedicated to transparency, trasceable recycling, and no landfill! you pack your items into a box, they send you a prepaid label, and then you earn credit towards future purchases. they work with recycling partners to either upcycle the clothing into new textiles or downcycle into mixed used items (think: insulation, padding, etc.) you can send in items in any condition.
this is a starter list of donation options, i’ll continue to add as I come across other resources.
have one you think should be on the list? let me know in the comments!
(1) https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/
