Overcoming Landfill Crisis through Clothes Collection in the UK
A wardrobe clear-out can be a fresh start for more than your shelves. The clothes you no longer reach for may still have plenty of life left in them.
Fast fashion makes it easy to buy more and wear things less. But unwanted doesn’t always mean worn out. A coat that no longer fits, a pair of shoes you never wear or a jumper that’s lost its place in your wardrobe could be just right for someone else.
Clothes collection offers a practical way to keep reusable items out of the general rubbish and raise funds for a cause you care about. Here’s how to make your next clear-out count, with a little care for what goes in each bag.
Clothing waste: what happens after the bin?
When wearable clothes go in the bin, the chance for someone else to enjoy them can go with them.
In February 2019, Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee reported that around 300,000 tonnes of clothing entered UK household bins each year. Of that amount, roughly 80% was incinerated and 20% sent to landfill.
Those are historical estimates, not a current-year measurement. They also show why clothing waste and landfill waste aren’t the same thing: clothes put in the general rubbish may be burned rather than buried. Either route loses the opportunity to wear those garments again.
The useful question for your clear-out is simple: can this still be worn, repaired or passed on?
A second life starts with clothes worth wearing
Reuse means keeping an item in use for its original purpose. Recycling means processing the material into something else. Defra’s waste prevention programme for England supports resale and repair, with textile recycling providing a route for items that are no longer suitable for reuse.
For a Donate Clothes collection, choose clean, dry items in good condition: adults’ and children’s clothing, paired shoes, handbags, belts and underwear. Check our full list of accepted items before packing. We can also collect suitable household linen; our guide to donating bed linen explains what belongs in the bag.
Torn, badly worn or rag-quality textiles need a different route. Check what your local council or textile recycling operator accepts before taking them along. Our clothes recycling near me guide will help you work out where to start.
Pre-loved clothes. Fresh support for charity.
Collected items are checked, weighed and sorted, then sold to help raise funds for your chosen charity.
On average, our charity payments represent around 82% of our profit. That is a share of profit, rather than the total sale proceeds.
Take a closer look at what happens to your donated clothes.
Make room in your wardrobe. Make a difference.
How to arrange your clothes collection
No trip to the shops, no waiting for a bag through the door. Choose a cause close to your heart, then check whether we collect from your address.
- Choose the partner charity you’d like your donation to support.
- Enter your postcode and address to check availability, then select an available collection date.
- Pack accepted items in bags or boxes, keeping everything clean and dry and shoes together in pairs.
- Leave your donation in the agreed collection place, following your booking instructions.
Small wardrobe habits, lasting value
Keep the favourites. Pass on the rest.
Before you part with something, could a small repair bring it back into your everyday wardrobe? A missing button or a loose seam needn’t mean goodbye. Wearing what you already own for longer is a good place to start.
And when your needs change, pass on the pieces that still have something to give. A thoughtful clear-out makes space without treating everything as waste. Next time you need an outfit, a second-hand find might become your new favourite.
A few less-loved pieces in your wardrobe could help a cause you care about. Meet our partner charities below, choose who you’d like to support and check collection availability for your address.
Choose your Charity
Funds raised will be divided equally among all charities.
Your clothing waste questions, answered
Does all clothing in household bins go to landfill?
No. Clothing in general rubbish may go to incineration or landfill. The Parliamentary figure above was published in 2019 and covered both routes. Keeping wearable items separate gives them the opportunity to be used again.
Can charity shops take damaged or worn-out clothes?
Ask the individual shop before bringing them in. Acceptance rules vary, and a donation point is not automatically a service for recycling rags. Donate Clothes collections are for clean, dry items in good condition, rather than torn or rag-quality textiles.
For other routes, compare our four ways to donate pre-loved items and check the chosen organisation’s requirements.
Where can I take clothes that are no longer wearable?
Contact your local council or a textile recycling operator and ask specifically about worn-out fabrics. Check the material and condition they accept; don’t leave bags beside a full or unsuitable bank.
In England and Wales, GOV.UK’s recycling collections finder links to your local council. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, check your council’s own website. Our textile banks and home collection guide explains how the options differ.
What is the UK government doing about clothing waste?
In a Parliamentary answer on 14 July 2026, Defra highlighted reuse and repair and said textiles would be included in its planned Circular Economy Growth Plan. That answer set out an intention, rather than a new rule for every household. For your own clear-out, check the current acceptance rules of the service you choose.
Will Donate Clothes collect from my home?
Choose a partner charity, then enter your postcode and address to check whether we collect from you and see available dates. Our home collection is free where available. Please include only accepted items in good condition; we don’t collect rag-quality textiles, filled duvets or pillows.
