When’s the last time you sent off some of your old and ill-fitting clothes to a clothing donation service? If you’re having a hard time pinpointing a date, worry not! Many people find themselves, suddenly and without warning, with an overflowing closet and stuffed drawers in dire need of a little spring cleaning. Thanks to charitable donations, donating clothes and helping out people in need has never been easier to do. You can even give the environment a little boost by giving away your sweaters and suits! Below are the top four reasons you should rummage through your closet and pull out those boxes for a charitable donation this week, from clearing up the environment to supporting your local industry.
Support Your Country
Let’s look at how America is faring with clothing donations these days! The average American has been found to purchase at least 10 pounds of previously used clothing every year, with the textile recycling industry accounting for a whopping 17,000 jobs across the country. The year 2007 alone saw over $5 billion worth of clothing related donations made to local and international charities. That’s pretty impressive! There could always be improvements, however, and giving away those jeans or shoes you no longer wear will go a long way in helping everybody out in the long-term. If you want to help out the environment, then look no further!
Environmental Awareness
While biking to work and turning your water off when brushing your teeth can help with reducing energy costs, donating clothing to charity does its part by reducing strain on the textile industry and local landfills. A stunning 90% of clothing and textile waste thrown out in the United States every year can be completely recycled, from linen to cotton to spandex, and participating in clothing donations will provide many businesses with the materials they need to keep functioning. Landfills, while an unfortunate necessity for a complex urban society, can still see themselves reduced in scope by rerouting clothes to companies and charities. Now how about giving clothes to people who just need to wear them?
Help Those In Need
Not everybody can afford pricey dresses and jeans from expensive boutiques! Donating your clothes can help out your community at large, providing families with clothing articles during particularly hard times and children with equipment they could use for school or recreation. As stated above, donating your clothes also supports local jobs and gives both charities and textile industries useful materials for them to use. What’s not to love? Even better are the new and convenient methods clothing organizations have recently offered to better help people on how and where to donate their shirts, pants, shoes and sweaters.
Donation Pick Up
Is your schedule too packed to drop by your local charity? No problem! With donation pick up you can spend less time worrying and more time picking up your kids from school or running errands, as the majority of clothing donation charities offer free pick up services in their neighborhood. It’s as simple as packing up all your clothes in a bag or box, giving them a call with some easy directions and having them swing by during the week. Helping out the environment, bolstering your local community and providing jobs has never been easier! Next time you see a moth or two fly out of your closet, grab a box and give your local charity a call. Local families, businesses and the environment at large will appreciate it!
