Find Clothing Banks & Clothing Recycling Bins Near You in Devon

Clothes donation locations in Plymouth, Exeter, Torquay, Paignton, and more

When you donate clothes in Devon, the process typically involves several steps:

  1. Sorting: Once collected, clothes are sorted by volunteers or staff at charity shops or donation centers. They assess the condition of the items to determine whether they are suitable for resale, direct distribution, or recycling.

  2. Resale in Charity Shops: Clothes in good condition are cleaned, if necessary, and then priced for sale in charity shops across Devon, such as those run by Hospiscare, Oxfam, or British Heart Foundation. The proceeds from these sales fund the charity’s work, whether it’s providing hospice care, supporting medical research, or aiding global development efforts.

  3. Direct Distribution: Some clothes, especially those donated to local shelters or community organizations, are distributed directly to people in need. This might include the homeless, low-income families, or refugees. Warm clothing and essential items are particularly valuable during the colder months.

  4. Recycling: Clothes that aren’t suitable for resale or direct use are often sent to textile recycling facilities. These items can be repurposed into new products like insulation materials, cleaning rags, or even new fabrics. This helps reduce waste and supports sustainable practices.

  5. Export to Developing Countries: Some charities may sell surplus or bulk clothes to textile merchants, who then export them to developing countries. In these countries, the clothes are sold in local markets, providing affordable clothing options to communities in need.

  6. Upcycling: Certain items might be upcycled into new products by local artisans or through partnerships with sustainable fashion projects. This could involve transforming old clothes into bags, quilts, or other items.

Overall, donated clothes in Devon are carefully managed to ensure they support charitable causes, provide direct aid to those in need, or contribute to sustainability through recycling and upcycling.

In Devon, there are several places where you can take clothes to donate:

  1. Hospiscare:

    • Locations: Shops in Exeter, Tiverton, Honiton, and other towns.
    • Why: Donations support local hospice care for people with life-limiting illnesses.

  2. British Heart Foundation:

    • Locations: Shops in Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, and other areas.
    • Why: Proceeds from your donated clothes fund heart disease research and patient care.

  3. Oxfam:

    • Locations: Shops in Exeter, Barnstaple, Totnes, and other towns.
    • Why: Your donations help fund global poverty relief efforts.

  4. Children’s Hospice South West:

    • Locations: Shops in Barnstaple, Torquay, and other locations across Devon.
    • Why: Donated clothes support hospice care for children with life-limiting conditions.

  5. Salvation Army:

    • Locations: Donation points and shops in Exeter, Plymouth, and other towns.
    • Why: Donations help fund a wide range of social services, including support for the homeless and vulnerable.

  6. Clothing Banks:

    • Locations: Found at supermarkets, recycling centers, and community hubs across Devon.
    • Why: Convenient drop-off points where clothes are collected and distributed by various charities.

  7. Local Shelters and Community Centers:

    • Direct Donations: Consider donating directly to local shelters or community organizations in towns like Exeter or Plymouth, where clothes are often distributed to people in need.

These options provide a range of places where you can donate clothes in Devon, ensuring your contributions support both local causes and broader charitable missions.

The best charity for your clothes donation in Devon depends on the cause you care most about. Here are a few top options:

  1. Hospiscare:

    • Best For: Supporting local hospice care.
    • Why: Your donation helps provide compassionate end-of-life care for people in Devon with life-limiting conditions.

  2. Children’s Hospice South West:

    • Best For: Supporting children’s hospice care.
    • Why: Clothes donations help fund hospice services for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families in the region.

  3. British Heart Foundation:

    • Best For: Funding heart disease research and patient care.
    • Why: Your clothes contribute to crucial research and help people affected by heart disease across the UK.

  4. Oxfam:

    • Best For: Supporting global poverty relief.
    • Why: Your donated clothes help fund Oxfam’s global efforts to combat poverty and provide aid to those in need.

  5. Salvation Army:

    • Best For: Supporting vulnerable populations.
    • Why: Clothes donations help fund services for the homeless, elderly, and other vulnerable groups in Devon and beyond.

Each charity offers meaningful impact, so the best fit depends on whether you want to support local hospice care, children’s services, medical research, or global poverty relief.

Find one on the map

List of Devon Clothes Bank Locations

One of the southern-most counties in England, lucky for you, Devon has no lack of clothes banks around the county. Towns such as Plymouth, Exeter, Torquay, Paignton, and many more all have plenty of locations for you to donate your unwanted clothing to.

All of the clothing recycling centres will accept items such as pants, tshirts, dresses, shoes, socks, jackets, and other clothing items. If you want to donate something different like homewares, appliances, furniture, linen, or more, please give them a call beforehand to check if they can accept them.

There are plenty of recycling centres around Devon.

The Fire Fighters Charity and The Salvation Army have the largest network of clothing banks in the country. In saying that, if you’d like to support independent charities, there are plenty of smaller organisations with clothes banks scattered around.

As well, make sure any of the clothes you’re looking to donate are still in usable condition. If they’re not, it’s better for everyone if you just throw them in the trash or take them to a recycling centre instead.

If you know any clothes banks near you in Devon that aren’t listed below, please let us know and we’ll add them into the list.