What bedding can you donate?
A fresh chapter for your spare linen
Clean, whole and ready to be useful again.
New bedding, a different-sized bed, or simply a cupboard that could do with a little breathing room. Whatever has prompted your clear-out, those spare sheets may still have plenty to give.
You can donate clean, dry sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, and ordinary blankets and throws without filling through DonateClothes, as long as they are intact and in good condition. We also accept towels. We can’t collect pillows, filled duvets or bedding that is torn, stained, wet or worn out.
Our free home collections help your pre-loved things raise funds for a charity you choose. Here’s how to sort your bed linen, find the right home for the things we can’t take, and make a little more room.
Which bedding and bed linen do we accept?
A duvet cover and a duvet may share a name, but they need different donation routes. The cover can go in your DonateClothes bag; the filled duvet can’t.
We’re happy to collect
- Bed sheets — clean, dry, intact and reusable.
- Duvet covers and pillowcases — in good condition, without the duvet or pillow inside.
- Ordinary blankets and throws without filling — clean, dry and intact.
- Towels — clean, dry and in good condition.
Please leave these out
- Filled duvets, pillows and cushions — please keep these out of your collection bags.
- Torn, stained, wet or rag-quality bedding — we collect items suitable for someone to use again.
For other things you’ve found during your clear-out, have a look at our full donation guidelines.
A quick cupboard check before you donate
Pre-loved doesn’t have to mean brand new. It does need to mean ready for another home.
- Check it in the light. Look for holes, tears, stains and areas that have worn too thin. If it has reached the cleaning-rag stage, please leave it out of your donation.
- Make sure it is clean. If it needs a wash, follow its care label and let it dry completely before packing.
- Separate covers from fillings. Remove pillows from their cases and duvets from their covers, then put only the accepted items in your bags.
- Keep it dry. Pack your linen in bags or boxes and protect it from rain while it waits for collection.
A useful final check is to ask whether you would be comfortable passing it to someone to use on their bed. If the answer is no, look for an appropriate reuse or recycling option below.
How to arrange a free bed linen collection
There’s no need to fit a trip to the shops around your clear-out. We collect from homes in selected towns and cities; availability depends on your address.
- Choose your charity. Start by choosing one of our charity partners.
- Enter your postcode and address. Check whether we can collect from your home.
- Choose an available date. Follow the booking instructions to arrange your collection.
- Pack your donation. Leave your bags or boxes in the agreed place on collection day, keeping everything clean and dry.
You can browse our collection areas, then choose a charity to get started.
A little more life beyond the linen cupboard
Useful things can spend a surprisingly long time tucked away. In research commissioned in September 2022 and published in April 2023, WRAP estimated that around 330 million home textile items in UK homes had not been used in the previous year.
That includes a range of household textiles, not just bedding, and it doesn’t mean every unused item is suitable to donate. But it is a good reason to take a second look at what’s sitting on the shelf. Read WRAP’s findings.
The study also explored how people part with home textiles: 22% reported using general rubbish mainly or for a fair amount of items, compared with 21% for charity shops, 20% for dedicated areas at household recycling centres and 18% for another use at home. These are reported habits across home textiles, not shares of bedding waste.
For linen that is still in good condition, passing it on gives it the opportunity to be useful again. With DonateClothes, your donation also helps raise funds for your chosen charity.
Source: WRAP home textiles research. Commissioned September 2022; published April 2023. Percentages refer to respondents; routes can overlap.
What if your bedding isn’t suitable for our collection?
Different organisations accept different things. Check the current rules before making a trip, and keep anything we can’t collect separate from your DonateClothes bags.
Do charity shops take bedding?
Some charity shops accept bedding. Oxfam’s donation guidance, for example, welcomes clean bedding in good condition. Ask your local shop about your particular items before taking them in.
Clean sheets that are too worn to donate
Dunelm’s Textile Take Back scheme accepts clean, bagged home textiles, including ripped or torn items, at participating stores. It excludes pillows and duvets; check the current scheme rules and your store before travelling.
You can also use Recycle Now’s textile guidance to explore local options. Check that the collection point accepts the item and condition you have — a clothing bank isn’t automatically suitable for all bedding.
Pillows and filled duvets
We can’t collect these, even when they are clean. Recycle Now’s separate advice for duvets and pillows explains why options are more limited; check your local council’s instructions for your items.
Animal charities have their own rules, too. Dogs Trust centres list clean blankets, towels and non-feathered quilts, but exclude pillows and pillowcases and ask you to check available space first. Donating directly to a centre is separate from choosing a charity to receive funds through DonateClothes.
What happens after we collect your donation?
Your items are checked and sorted for reuse. Suitable items are sold on, including to reuse markets overseas, and your chosen charity receives financial support from the collection.
Your sheets don’t necessarily go directly to that charity or to someone it supports. Our guide to what happens after collection explains the journey in more detail.
A few more questions about donating bedding
Does bed linen need to be new?
No. We welcome pre-loved bed linen that is clean, completely dry, intact and still suitable to use. Please don’t include anything stained, damaged or worn out.
Can I donate duvet covers and pillowcases?
Yes, provided they meet the condition guidelines above. Remove the duvet and pillow first: we accept the covers, not the filled items.
Can I donate blankets and throws?
Yes, we accept clean, dry and intact ordinary blankets and throws without filling. Filled duvets are not accepted.
Where can I donate bedding near me?
For a home collection, choose a charity and check availability for your address. If we don’t currently cover your area, check a local charity shop for reusable linen or an appropriate textile scheme for items that are too worn.
A little space. A little good.
If your spare sheets still have life in them, let’s help them find their next chapter. Choose your charity and arrange a free collection.
