What Really Happens to Your Donated Clothes? (And Why We Need to Rethink It)

What Really Happens to Your Donated Clothes? (And Why We Need to Rethink It)

Three days ago, I posted a poll on LinkedIn asking: "Do you donate, resell, repurpose, bin, or just store your old clothes?"

The results? Out of 50 voters:

No judgment—just insight. And this one hit hard.

A Personal Realization

On my journey to starting Circlo, this hit close to home. I had been donating clothes at the local bin for years. I can't recall how many bags of clothes, shoes, and accessories I had dropped off—only to realize that donating doesn’t always mean what we think it does.

We all want to believe that the clothes we donate are going to someone in need. That our cast-offs will get a second life, doing some good along the way. The truth? It’s not that simple.

The Donation Myth

Let’s be honest: donating feels good. It’s convenient, quick, and carries a warm, do-gooder glow. But here’s what most people don’t know:

  • Only 10–30% of clothes donated to charity shops are resold locally (WRAP UK, 2017)
  • The rest? Shipped off, sorted, and baled into the global second-hand trade
  • A massive portion (up to 80%) ends up in Africa and Asia, where up to 40% becomes waste almost immediately (Changing Markets Foundation, 2023)
  • That waste doesn’t just vanish; it clogs drains, fills beaches, gets burned in open landfills, or dumped by rivers (EEA, 2023)

Donating isn’t bad. In fact, I’d argue donating is great. But maybe it’s less about donating the clothing itself and more about donating the value of the clothing in a way that creates real impact.

Meanwhile, Your Closet Is Overflowing

10% of you said you just hold on to old clothes. We get it. Maybe it doesn’t fit. Maybe it’s too nice to throw away. Maybe you forgot it even existed. But that silent storage? It adds up.

Holding onto clothes delays action and locks garments out of circulation. It’s why a good spring clean helps; it clears space and gets pieces back into use. In a world drowning in fashion waste, that matters. Every year, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are created (World Economic Forum, 2021).

The Case for Reselling (And Why Only 10% Do It)

Another 10% of poll respondents said they resell. That’s awesome (we’re biased, of course). Reselling keeps garments alive, puts value back in your pocket, and builds a culture of circularity. When you resell, you know where your clothes go. You control the outcome.

So why only 10%? What’s holding the other 90% back? Let’s face it: it’s a hassle. Photos. Listings. Messages. Pricing. Shipping. Most of us don’t have the time—or patience—to hustle every old T-shirt like it’s a vintage find. Reselling needs to be as easy and pain-free as buying them was in the first place.

Enter: Circlo Loop

When we started Circlo, we wanted to think about circularity at a bigger scale than just one garment at a time. We thought about it one person at a time. So we created Loop to offer a real alternative. Not another resale app—a zero-waste resale and recycling system, built on a consignment model.

Here’s how it works: you send us your clothes—either by ordering a Loop Bag or using a free shipping label for a box you already have at home. That’s it. We handle the rest: sorting, shooting, listing, pricing, and selling. You don’t have to lift a finger beyond packing and sending.

If the item sells, you get 40% of the sale price. If it doesn’t meet our resale criteria? No worries, we’ll recycle it responsibly, making sure it’s upcycled or turned into something new.

Your clothes just need to be clean. They can be torn or stained—we’ll take care of the rest.

Our mission with Loop is to remove every barrier to resale and responsible recycling. Because keeping fashion in the loop shouldn’t be a hassle. It should be the norm.

And for those who want to do even more good; we’re working on a donation partnership that lets you donate the proceeds from your sales to a cause you care about. We’ll donate it in your name. No extra steps. Just more impact. (Coming soon!)

The Problem With Oversupply

The donation system is overloaded. Europe is exporting more used clothing than ever—far more than can be reused locally. In the Netherlands alone, 248,000 tonnes of used garments are shipped abroad each year (CBS Netherlands, 2022). Germany ships over one million tonnes (FAIRwertung, 2023).

But quantity isn’t the only problem—quality has dropped too. Charities are receiving more fast fashion than ever: cheap blends, poorly made, barely worn, and nearly impossible to recycle.

That means a significant portion gets discarded—dumped, burned, or baled into oblivion—instead of resold or reused (Phys.org, 2023).

When donations flood the system, they stop being gifts and become waste in disguise. And shipping that waste abroad doesn’t solve the problem—it just shifts the burden.

The Catch-22 of Charity

We’re not anti-charity. Far from it. Donation can help—when done thoughtfully. But let’s be clear:

  • Charity shops can’t handle the volume alone
  • Most items never see the sales floor
  • Many are sold to for-profit traders who export them for cents on the kilo
  • The system relies on us offloading guilt, not solving the root problem

If you donate, make it count:

  • Wash everything
  • Only donate what you’d give a friend
  • Skip the fast fashion cast-offs; they’re not doing anyone favors

Why Resale Wins (For People and Planet)

Reselling (or using platforms like Loop) has a better shot at:

  • Extending garment life by getting items to people who want them
  • Reducing carbon footprint by skipping the global shipping circuit
  • Keeping control of your stuff’s destiny
  • Creating accountability in your buying habits

It shifts us from a drop-and-forget mindset to one of ownership. And that’s what the circular economy needs.

So What Should You Do?

Ask yourself:

  • Do I know where my old clothes end up?
  • Am I using donation as a feel-good shortcut?
  • Could I keep fewer things, but value them more?

Circlo Loop isn’t the only answer. But it’s an invitation. 

To pause before you toss. To rethink what circular fashion really means. To close the loop without exporting the problem.

Final Thought: Donating Is Good. Reselling Is Better.

This isn’t about judgment. If you donate clothes, you care. That’s good. But the real win isn’t how we dispose of fashion; it’s how we respect it.

Resell when you can. Use platforms that take the work out of it. If you donate, do it consciously. And whatever you do, don’t just hold on to stuff you’ll never wear again.

One of my favorite ways to think about this—especially if you’re wired like me—is to treat your wardrobe like an investment portfolio. Buy pieces that last. Rotate out what doesn’t serve you. Reinvest in things that do. That’s how we keep the loop alive.

Sign up to Circlo and get notified when our next round of Loop Bags drop or when next batch of pre-loved items comes thru. Or check out Circlo Loop right now. See if something catches your eye.

Let’s do better than donate. Let’s keep fashion in the loop.

 

 

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