Clothing donations are an important part of many non profit organizations. In order for these programs to work, they depend on people just like us to donate things that are no longer needed such as clothes, furniture and other household items. Donating these things helps the organization as well we us because it removes clutter from our houses and helps someone else in the process. The benefits of donating clothing are plentiful, which probably explains why donations of clothing are so popular.
Roughly 4.7 billion pounds of clothing are donated each year, however this only amounts to about 15% of the clothing of all of America. Almost 100% of clothing can be recycled regardless of condition, however there are a few things that can not be accepted at donation facilities. Read below to see some of the clothing items that are not accepted.
Wet Clothes
Wet clothes are not a good choice when it comes to donations of clothing. Wet clothes are a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. If you are trying to decide when to donate clothes, choose a day that will not have inclement weather. If you are trying to store the pile of clothes donations or keep them until you have enough to take to a clothing drop off location then keep them in a dry area of your home. Not outside or anyplace that is damp.
Molded Clothing
Clothing that has already begun to mold is not a good choice when it comes to donations of clothing. A better choice for these items would be to re purpose the non molded parts of fabric at home. Molded clothes are not able to be re-sold, therefore donations of clothing with mold will not be beneficial.
Drawstrings
Children’s clothing with drawstrings are not safe to donate, therefore these items should not be included in your donations of clothing and clothing material. These are not safe for children and pose a huge risk to them. Children can strangle themselves with drawstrings, therefore many places are not able to take donations of clothing with drawstrings.
Now that you know what items are accepted, and which ones aren’t accepted, go through your closets and start gathering donations of clothing to drop off. Donating clothing helps to keep them out of the landfill and helps the environment. Donate clothes that no longer fit, clothes that you no longer wear, clothes that are out of style, any kind of clothes that you will no longer wear.
