Donate, Resell or Recycle Clothes – How to Decide

Start with the reuse ladder: reuse before recycling

The environmental gain is greatest when a garment is worn many times, by you or its next owner. So reuse – selling or donating – always comes before recycling, and recycling before the bin. Sort what you are done with by condition, not by what is easiest to get rid of:

• Still good and usable → sell or give away, so someone else can wear it.
• Small, fixable fault → repair or alter it first, so the garment can stay in use.
• Completely worn out, stained or broken → textile recycling, not residual waste.
• Never in residual waste: even ragged textiles can be recycled as material.

Selling: how to find the garment a new owner

If the garment is intact or has some value, selling gives it both new life and a little money back. Presentation decides how quickly it goes.

• Second-hand apps and marketplaces such as FINN, Tise and Vinted reach many buyers.
• Physical second-hand and charity shops often take smart branded pieces in season.
• Take good photos in daylight, and state the brand, size and any faults honestly.
• Clean or wash the garment first – clean, intact pieces sell faster and for more.

Giving away and donating: where clothes do good

If you lack the time or the wish to sell, donation is the easiest route to reuse. The key is to hand the clothes over so they can actually be used again.

• Collection organisations such as Fretex, UFF and the Red Cross take clean, usable clothes.
• Many have both shops and collection containers; check what each one accepts.
• Only give away clean, dry clothes in a sealed bag – wet or dirty items can ruin the rest.
• Tie shoes together in pairs, so they don't get separated during sorting.

Recycling: when the garment can't be reused

What is completely worn out is not rubbish – it is raw material. Worn-out textiles can be recycled into new fibres, insulation or industrial wiping cloths, but only if they go to textile collection rather than into residual waste.

• Completely worn-out textiles go to textile collection for material recycling, not the residual bin.
• Many clothing chains have their own collection boxes that accept textiles in any condition.
• Norway is phasing in a requirement to sort textiles out of residual waste – check your local scheme.
• Cut off and keep intact zips and good buttons before handing garments in; they can be reused in repairs.

The one move that often beats both selling and recycling

Before you give up on a garment you are actually fond of, it is worth asking whether the fault can be fixed. A broken zip, a split seam or a fit that no longer matches you is usually a repair or an alteration – not a reason to throw it out. Repairing a good garment keeps it in genuine use, the top rung of the reuse ladder, rather than ending up recycled or given away and never worn. If the garment has a fixable fault, you can send it to us and we'll take the job. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions