Where to give clothing and textiles you no longer need
This guide will help you find the best option for clothing and textiles you no longer want.
Donate school uniform
You can donate school uniforms from nursery to sixth form school uniform to the ActForEaling free school uniform project. This project is run by Ealing Council and ActForEaling.
You can also check whether your child's school accepts uniform donations. Many schools collect unwanted uniform to sell and raise money or to pass on to families who need it.
Guide to donating pre-loved clothes
Only give clean, good quality clothes that someone will want to buy. Dirty or damaged items costs charities time and money, as they take time to sort and then dispose of.
Check all items for stains, broken zips, missing buttons and other damage. If you would not buy the item again do not donate it.
Tie any pairs of shoes together. Items accepted include clothes, bags, belts and lingerie.
No thank you, to:
- dirty, stained, ripped or damaged clothes that cannot be sold
- duvets and pillows (put these in the rubbish bin)
- towels
Put these items in your black wheeled bin unless another recycling or reuse option is available.
Give good quality items a new home
If your clothing and textiles are clean and in good condition, there are several ways to pass them on. Items include:
- clothes
- shoes
- accessories
- tablecloths
- bed sheets
- blankets
- pillowcases
- cushion covers
You can:
- sell them online
- give them to family or friends
- offer them through local reuse groups such as Ealing Freegle
- donate them to a local charity shop
- arrange a free doorstep collection with TRAID through our partnership with the West London Waste Authority (WLWA)
- send them by post to charities that accept postal donations, such as Oxfam, British Red Cross or Age UK
- donate them at one of the borough's clothing banks
- place clothes in a clear bag on top of your blue wheeled recycling bin on your collection day if you receive a kerbside collection from Ealing Council
Using clothing banks
Please place donations inside the clothing bank.
Large black sacks may not fit through the opening so use smaller bags where possible.
Do not leave bags next to a clothing bank; this is fly-tipping and can damage donations by exposing them to rain and dirt.
Clothing bank locations
Acton
- Junction of The Vale and Bromyard Avenue, Bromyard Avenue, W3 7JY
Ealing
- Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre, The Broadway, W5 5JY
- South Ealing Road, next to the Co-op, W5 4QS
Greenford
- Outside Greenford Baptist Church, 150 Ruislip Road, UB6 9RT
Hanwell
- Junction of Borders Road and Greenford Avenue, Borders Road, W7 1AG
Northolt
- Academy Gardens and Parkfield Drive, UB5 5QN
- Hotspur Road and Stable Close, UB5 6TW
- Park Children's Centre, Newmarket Avenue, UB5 4DB
Perivale
- Outside Londis, Bilton Road, UB6 7DE
- Old Hoover Building, Western Avenue, UB6 8DW
Southall
- Convent Way Shopping Parade, Convent Way, UB2 5UL
Non-wearable textiles
Options for damaged and unusable textiles are becoming more limited.
In the past, charities could sell unsaleable clothing and textiles for recycling as rags. The value of these materials has fallen a lot, making it more difficult for charities to collect them.
For clothing and textiles that cannot be worn or reused, you can:
- ask local charity shops if they accept clearly labelled bags of rags
- reuse old textiles at home for cleaning or decorating
- place them in your black wheeled bin if no reuse or recycling option is available