Give your bras and lingerie a second life
A favourite bra that no longer fits. A lovely slip you never reach for. The lingerie drawer has a way of holding on to things long after we’ve stopped wearing them.
You can donate used bras and lingerie to Donate Clothes, as well as new pieces, as long as they’re clean, dry and in good condition to be worn again. We offer free home collection in our service areas, helping your pre-loved things raise funds for a partner charity you choose.
If you’d prefer a bra bank, a charity shop or a postal donation, there are other options too. The useful starting point is whether your items are ready for another wardrobe or have reached the end of their wearable life.
In this guide
Bras and lingerie we’d love to collect
Our collections welcome women’s and men’s underwear in good, wearable condition. For bras and lingerie, that includes:
- Everyday bras: wired and non-wired, padded and non-padded, in any size.
- Sports, nursing and maternity bras: if they’re clean and still fit for another wearer.
- Bralettes and mastectomy bras: the same clean, wearable condition applies.
- Slips, camisoles and nightdresses: including those lovely pieces that have spent more time in a drawer than being worn.
- Lingerie bodysuits, matching sets and knickers: new or pre-loved, provided they’re clean, intact and suitable to wear again.
There’s no need for everything to be new, designer or part of a matching set. A well-kept everyday bra is welcome alongside a barely worn special-occasion piece. What matters is the condition it’s in now.
Please leave out stained, damp, mouldy, torn or worn-out items. We collect things that can be used again, rather than rags or scrap textiles. You’ll find our full list of accepted items on the About & FAQ page.
A quick check before you pass it on
A bra may be the wrong fit for you and still be in lovely condition for someone else. Give each piece a quick once-over:
- Fabric and seams: no holes, tears or worn-through patches.
- Hooks and fastenings: secure and working as they should.
- Wires: properly covered, with no broken or exposed ends.
- Straps and elastic: still supportive, rather than stretched beyond use.
- Cups and padding: in good shape and comfortable enough to wear.
For slips, nightdresses and bodysuits, check the fabric, seams and any fastenings in the same way. These small checks help you separate the pieces with plenty left to give from those that need a different route.
Getting your lingerie ready for its next chapter
- Check each piece. Set aside anything that is damaged or no longer wearable.
- Make sure it’s clean. If it needs washing, follow its care label, especially for lace, silk or other delicate fabrics.
- Let everything dry completely. Damp clothing can spoil the rest of a donation bag.
- Pack it in a bag or box you already have. Fasten bra hooks so they’re less likely to catch on delicate fabric, and keep your donation protected from rain until collection.
You can include other items from our accepted list in the same collection. No need to wait for a special donation bag through the letterbox.
From your lingerie drawer to your doorstep
If a trip to a donation point is another thing on your to-do list, a home collection can make passing things on a little easier.
- Choose a partner charity you’d like your donation to support.
- Enter your postcode to check whether we collect from your address, then choose an available date.
- Leave your packed donation ready in the place you’ve told us about when booking. If you won’t be home, let us know where to find it.
Our service is a booked collection from home in selected areas. Choose your charity and check collection availability.
After collection, your donations are checked, weighed and sorted for resale and reuse, including overseas. The funds raised support your chosen charity. On average, we give 82% of our profit to our partner charities. Our guide to where your donated clothes go explains the journey.
Helping a breast cancer charity through your clear-out
If breast cancer is a cause close to your heart, Boot Out Breast Cancer is one of our partner charities. You can choose it when arranging a Donate Clothes collection, subject to availability at your address.
There are also separate bra-donation programmes supporting other organisations. Against Breast Cancer and Beat Breast Cancer run their own schemes; donating through one of those is different from choosing a charity through Donate Clothes.
Bra banks and postal donations: choosing your route
For a drop-off or postal option, start with the organisation’s own instructions. A scheme called “bra recycling” may accept only wearable bras, and a bra bank won’t necessarily accept other lingerie.
- Against Breast Cancer — wearable bras, banks or post. Its bra recycling scheme supports breast cancer research and accepts different bra types in wearable condition. Use its finder for a local bra bank and contact the host before travelling. You can also post a small parcel; postage is at your expense.
- Smalls for All — bras and new pants by post. This charity accepts new or gently worn, laundered bras, including sports and nursing bras, but not cropped-top styles or bikini tops. Pants must be new. It doesn’t collect all types of lingerie, so check its current donation instructions and receiving address before sending anything.
- Beat Breast Cancer — a separate postal scheme. Its bra donation programme with Clothes Relief accepts clean bras, including worn-out ones, and raises funds for NHS breast-unit equipment. There is no minimum number, but you pay the postage. Check its current packing and address instructions.
These are independent schemes with their own rules. For more specialist signposting, Breast Cancer Now lists bra donation and recycling options. Its directory is a source of information, rather than a collection service.
When a bra is worn out rather than just unwanted
An exposed wire, broken fastening or badly stretched elastic can mean a bra is no longer suitable to pass on for another person to wear. Please keep these items out of your Donate Clothes collection.
Bravissimo’s UK bra recycling scheme accepts bras and swimwear of any brand and in any condition through its shops. Its recycling partner sorts items for reuse or material recycling, making it an option to check for bras that are beyond wear.
For other damaged lingerie, check your local textile collector’s item and condition rules. Don’t assume that every clothes bank takes worn-out underwear, and don’t leave bags beside a full or closed bank. Our guide to textile banks and home collection explains the wider differences between collection routes.
A few things you might be wondering
Do charity shops take used bras?
Some organisations accept wearable used bras, but shop and postal rules vary. Check with the charity shop you plan to visit, specifically asking about bras and any other lingerie you want to donate. A general “clothing accepted” sign doesn’t settle every item’s requirements.
Can I donate bras by freepost?
Postal donation doesn’t automatically mean freepost. Against Breast Cancer and Beat Breast Cancer ask donors to pay postage. A free postal offer for clothing elsewhere may exclude used underwear, so check that it covers your actual items. Our own free service is home collection in the areas we cover, rather than a postal scheme.
Can I include used knickers with my lingerie donation?
Yes. Donate Clothes accepts new and used knickers, along with other women’s and men’s underwear, as long as everything is clean, dry, intact and in good wearable condition. That is our collection policy; other organisations may accept only new pants.
Ready to make a little more room in your drawer? Give the pieces you no longer wear the chance to be loved again. Choose a charity and arrange your free collection.
