3 Ways to Donate Clothes Responsibly: A Guide to Better Giving and Less Waste

Donating clothes can help those in need—but only if done right. Learn how to donate responsibly, reduce waste, and support your community more effectively.

In the wake of the LA fires, many of us are thinking about how we can help displaced families restart their lives. It’s resulted in an outpouring of clothing donations. However, not all of those donations have been so great. Actress Kristen Bell shared on Instagram that when she was sorting donations, lots of them were basically trash. While she was critiqued for this, she gets at an important issue: sorting clothing donations is a lot of work and “donating” shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to appropriate recycling. In fact, so much of what was donated was so poorly organized that Trashie had to step in to offer their sorting services.

Three Steps to Better Clothing Donation

With a little more time and minimal effort, we can do a better job of keeping clothes out of the landfill and helping people in our communities all at once (wherever you are and whenever you donate):

1. Find a local organizations that need your help. 

Look beyond the big ones you know, to find ones that may have a more direct relationship with people in need where you are. This could be groups like Altadena Girls (a group started by teen girls for teen girls), a local homeless support organization, domestic violence shelters, refugee resettlement, and more. Smaller organizations often have specific needs, so check their websites or social media for donation guidelines.

2. Remove the waste

Sort out items that are stained or have holes. These items can be responsibly recycled through Trashie (and you can get points with them for recycling that can be used on sustainable brands like Jackalo). If you have Jackalo items that are stained or have holes, you can still recycle them through our TradeUp program, and get store credit for future purchases. Many local textile recycling programs and even some retailers offer take-back initiatives, so research options in your area.

3. Keep it organized!

Organize clothes by age or size and gender (unisex is ok too!). Fold the clothes neatly as you organize them and then put them in bags or boxes. Label the bags or write on them with Sharpie to save the volunteer staff time! Clear labeling ensures donations are distributed quickly to those who need them. If you're donating to a specific organization, ask if they have preferred sorting methods.

Why Thoughtful Donations Matter

When donations are done poorly, they can become a burden rather than a help. Unsuitable items can clog up donation centers, requiring extra labor and often even leading to additional waste. By taking the time to donate responsibly, you ensure your contributions truly make a difference.

All of this is a reminder, however, that over-consumption paired with poor recycling systems means there’s a LOT of waste (especially apparel waste) that ends up in landfills and may never break down. Thoughtful consumption—choosing quality over quantity and supporting circular brands—helps curb this cycle.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll share more on how you can reduce the amount of textile waste you send to the landfill. Got ideas that others should know? Share them with us!