Whether you’re minimizing your wardrobe after a Marie Kondo marathon or want to do a deep spring clean, donating your unneeded clothing is sustainable and charitable. Over 20 billion pounds of textiles end up in landfills every year, and only 10% get donated to charities or to secondhand stores. Recycling your old clothes is simultaneously altering the approach to retail, the environmental crisis, and humanitarian aid for a wholesome and inventive way to rework the fashion industry. Plus, donating used clothes to shelters or stores that give back is a great way to do some clearing out while still feeling good about helping others in Toronto.
If you’re looking to donate old clothing, check out these places all located here in Toronto!
Consignment/Thrift Stores
Salvation Army
You can drop off your gently used clothing, homeware, and furniture at your local Salvation Army Thrift Store for someone else to enjoy. After all, another person’s trash is another’s treasure.
Value Village
Value Village’s work with nonprofits allows you to maximize the use of your unworn clothing by strengthening your community and planet!
Habitat For Humanity Restore
With 11 locations across the GTA, Habitat ReStore sells your unique home goods in its vintage and antique store. Donate furniture, appliances, and décor to be purchased at sale price!
H&M
Reduce, reuse, and re-wear with H&M’s recycling program. Take a bag of your textiles to your nearest H&M to be sent to a recycling plant. Every bag is redeemed with a discount card of$5 off a $30 purchase in-store. All materials all welcome, even if highly worn out.
Common Sort
With three locations in Toronto, Common Sort should definitely be on your radar. The store will take your gently used clothes and offer you 25% cash or 50% of what they plan on selling it for on credit to use in the store. Though Common Sort does sell vintage, it has a huge selection of premium branded clothes. Brands we’ve spotted before including Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, and more. Because the store buys all of its stock directly from customers, its inventory is constantly changing so if you see something you like, we highly suggest grabbing it right away, it might be your only chance!
Plato’s Closet
This second-hand shop will purchase your lightly-used goods so your brand-name purchases won’t go to waste. Now both you and the new wearer can score on this double-whammy.
I Miss You Vintage
If you have some designer pieces that you’re looking to get rid of, head to the trendy Ossington strip to check out what I Miss You Vintage. Items that are over $100 will be paid out at 50% for the consigner upon sale and brands you can expect to shop range from Chanel, Gucci, and Fendi to Zimmerman, Acne Studios, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Consign Toronto
Check out Queen West to shop all sorts of designer awesomeness at Consign Toronto. This consignment store has three floors that are totally filled with goodies from brands like Dior, Balenciaga, Gucci, and more. No appointment is necessary and you can get up to 70% back on your items.
Organizations
Diabetes Canada Declutter & Donate
Diabetes Canada makes it easy for you to recycle your unworn clothes by scheduling a pick-up or finding a donation box. Prepare your garments in a 67-liter garbage bag or housewares in a box that doesn’t exceed 40 pounds, schedule a pick-up, and leave it outside your door.
Dress Your Best
Dress Your Best is operated by the Live to Give Relief Organization, whose mission is to promote the economic independence of men across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) since 2000. The generous support of community clothing and financial donations has enabled us to continue to supply men with high-quality, professional apparel for job interviews and employment. In 2018 alone, we provided professional clothing to over 600 men.
Clothing Donation Boxes
You can find clothing drop-off boxes that support various charities and initiatives in the parking lots of malls or specific streets for fast and easy convenience.
New Circles
Give back your clothes, shoes, and accessories at New Circle’s drop-off center. Bring your donations during operating hours to the side entrance to be assisted, or set up your own clothing drive!
Yonge Street Mission
Have a positive impact on your community by donating your quality clothing to YSM to be resold at the fraction of its price. The mission’s thrift store, Double Take, is a market that offers the community premium goods at a price people can afford.
Kidney Clothes
Kidney Clothes takes its slogan ‘we want the clothes you don’t’ seriously. Your clothing donations help stimulate kidney research projects to fight disease — all you have to do is schedule a pick-up, find a location, or start your own fundraiser.
Dress For Success
Dress For Success’ main goal is to empower women to enter the workforce. It accepts clothing donations that’ll help make a positive impression in the corporate world, such as power suits and blouses to help women dress for the job they want.
The New Mom Project
Help new moms and marginalized families by providing baby clothing and necessities. Help take some of the pressure off by giving the basics to those who need it most.
Sistering
Provide immediate relief to women who’ve gone through trauma and discrimination by giving adults and children clothing, blankets, and footwear.
Shelters
Sanctuary Toronto
Sanctuary offers a place of refuge for those who need a place of security to heal. This safe haven offers programs that help strengthen the community, and clothing donations help clothe those who are marginalized.
Covenant House
Give back to your community by donating to homeless youth who need the proper and sufficient apparel to get them through the changing seasons. Covenant House accepts winter garments as part of its donation services so folks can keep warm.
Oasis Clothing Bank
Oasis offers sanctuary to those struggling with and overcoming addiction. Donate your lightly-worn clothing to a donation bin that’ll be distributed amongst members.
The Scott Mission
The Scott Mission offers outreach programs and a safe place to provide wellness to the homeless or low-income folks. You can help by donating apparel by dropping it off or getting it picked up.
Jessie’s Centre
Pregnant women and young moms are given a stable and safe space at Jessie’s Centre. Donors can give maternity wear, clothing for younger women, baby clothes, and various accessories.
Fred Victor
Fred Victor is a social service charitable organization that fosters long-lasting and positive change in the lives of homeless and low-income people living across Toronto. Every day, more than 2,000 people use the programs and services offered. Check out the website for which gently used clothing items they’re in need of.
Horizons For Youth
Horizons for Youth is a shelter for at-risk and homeless youth between the ages of 16-24 years old in Toronto. It provides youth with the support they need to escape from the cycle of poverty and leave the streets behind.
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