What cannot be donated

Short answer: Used underwear, clothing with holes and anything that smells or is damp cannot be donated. These three types get sorted out and create work for those who receive donations. Send them to textile collection instead, and let only clean, intact clothing go to second-hand.

Underwear and socks

Used underwear cannot be passed on to others for hygiene reasons. Unused in the original packaging is an exception. The same goes for socks, which others cannot use. See bamboo clothing for women if you want to replace something you need to part with.

Why hygiene counts

Underwear and socks have sat close to the body, and few people want to accept that from someone else. That is why most receivers sort them out, however tidy they look. If you have unused pairs with tags, you can consider passing them on in the original packaging.

The damaged

Holes, tears and permanent stains. These belong in textile collection, where they can become something else. A garment that cannot be used again brings no joy in a charity shop and is only sorted out again. See bamboo shorts for men if you want to replace worn shorts.

What happens to the damaged

It is sent to textile recycling or destruction. That is a small share of the clothing, and that is why it matters to sort correctly. If you put damaged clothing in a donation bag, others have to spend time taking it out again, and the whole bag is slower to process.

The damp

Damp clothes in a bag cause mildew and ruin the rest of the bag within days. So let everything dry completely before you pack, seams included. Watch for thick seams and pockets, which take longest. See bamboo leggings for women, which dry quickly after washing.

Clothes that smell

Smell is hard to remove and spreads to the rest of the bag. Try washing the clothes again and airing them. If that does not help, they are not suitable for donation. Smoke, mustiness and damp are the most common. If in doubt, leave the clothes a day and check again.

Single socks

Single socks cannot be used by anyone else, because they cannot be sold one at a time. They belong in textile collection with everything else that cannot be used again. Do not keep them hoping the other one turns up if it has been missing a long time. A single sock just takes up drawer space.

How to sort quickly

Make three piles: donate, textile collection and waste. The first pile is for clean, intact, dry clothes. The second is for what is worn or has holes. Waste is rarely needed if you have a collection nearby. It takes half an hour and saves a lot of questions afterwards.

Ask if you are unsure

If you have a garment you are unsure about, ask the place you hand it in at. They know what they can use and what has to be sorted out. Many have a short guide on their website. A quick question is better than a bag that is discarded with all its contents.