To Donate or Not to Donate

What is donating clothes really mean, and where do the clothes we do donate end up? This is a complex question that has many different answers. When we think of sustainable fashion, one of the top solutions can be donation. Let’s break down how donating clothes works.

So donation works in several ways and is dived via what is wearable, what is damaged/salvaged. The items that are still in great condition will usually be sold for merchandise— in thrift store settings, or textile recycling centers, while the others will be donated through charity organizations. Around 50% of donated clothes are in good shape, and will make it to reuse and be reworn. However, clothes that are salvaged and in poor condition are only recycled around 37% of the time. Only 10-30% make it to a viable thrift shop to be resold.

This is significant because the clothes we donate matter! If what we are giving away is in poor, unwearable condition, it’s best to discard it properly yourself rather than exploiting it through a process that will most likely lead to nothing but a landfill. We might have the right intentions, but avoid fast fashion to ensure our clothes last longer through wash and dry cycles, maintaining our clothes with proper care, and discarding ourselves when they aren’t wearable is the proper way to ensure our donation industry isn’t slammed with unwearable clothes and unethical practices from businesses. Let’s begin consciously considering the clothes we buy, and less about donationing. When we do donate, it should be a reliable piece that offers years into the next person wearing it!