Where is my local clothes bank?

Is it too early to mention the C word?

With Christmas just around the corner, many of us are already thinking about gifts, decorations, and festive outfits. Before diving headfirst into the season of consumption, now might be the perfect time for a pre-festive clear out. Christmas is often thought of as the season of giving but let’s be honest, it’s also the season of buying. Shops fill up with gift sets, novelty clothing, and endless must-haves, and before we know it, our wardrobes and cupboards are bursting at the seams. That’s why having a pre-festive clear out is such a smart move.

By clearing space before Christmas, you’re not only making room for new items you’ll inevitably receive, but you’re also giving your unwanted clothes the chance to be reused, resold, or recycled instead of sitting in landfill.

• A survey by Cancer Research UK / TK Maxx found that the average UK adult owns about 58 items of clothing, and around 17 of these items are never worn (or haven’t been worn for a long time).
• According to WRAP (the UK sustainability charity), UK wardrobes are estimated to hold 1.6 billion unworn garments.
• In London specifically, research from TRAID shows people own on average 76 items of clothing, with 18 of those never worn.
• From Thought’s research: 40% of UK people say they own clothes they’ve never worn.

Instead of sending your Christmas jumpers, festive dresses, or novelty socks straight to landfill, why not give them a second life by donating them to a local clothes bank?

Finding your nearest clothes bank

The good news is it’s easier than ever to find a drop-off point. A quick search for “Where is my local clothes bank?” will point you to nearby recycling centres ready to take your donations. By doing so, you’re helping reduce waste, lower emissions, and support reuse in your community.

How Recycled Clothing Banks can help

Here at Recycled Clothing Banks, we go one step further. We install FREE branded recycling bins in commercial premises, retail parks, health clubs, local authority sites, and many more places with high footfall. For every tonne of reusable clothing, paired shoes, or textiles collected, we pay £400 directly back to you or your chosen charitable cause – that’s a whopping 40p per kilo which is the highest market price around.

That means every bag of clothes you donate helps:

• Keep textiles out of landfill.
• Raise funds for local charities and projects.
• Support vulnerable people, such as those helped by The Samaritans and HandsOn London, who work to keep the homeless warm over winter.