The spring cleaning and decluttering season beckons with Chinese New Year in sight, give your preloved items away to the right organisations. Donate your preloved clothes, toys, books, furniture and more to fuel the sustainability movement or perhaps people who might find good use for them.
Here is a list of over 40 places you can donate to as your spring clean for the year ahead!
Where To Donate Preloved Clothes, Toys, Books, Furniture and More
Donating Clothes
Greensquare
By providing free textile recycling services to household and organisations in Singapore, Greensquare aims to keep textiles in a closed recycling loop and extend the lifespan of garments by selling them to second-hand clothing importers from developing countries for reuse.
It accepts clean clothes, clean and wearable paired shoes, clean household linen, as well as accessories like bags and belts. No used undergarments, socks, pillows and comforters please.
You can find Greensquare’s big cardboard drop-boxes at multiple locations around the island.
St Vincent de Paul’s
Run as a social enterprise, the SSVP Shop at Geylang Road sells an array of pre-loved items at highly affordable prices, including clothing. Donated items and earnings from sales go towards helping the poor.
The charity keeps a wishlist which is updated according to its inventory and needs. Though it is not accepting apparel for now, that may change further down the road so do check its website for information.
You need to call or send a message to its Facebook or Instagram page to make an appointment before dropping off donations.
Perk by Kate Bra Donation
Perk by Kate is collecting bras and bralettes, nursing bras, masectomy bras and more. Bras will be collected, sorted and scheduled for donation campaigns in 2024.
Find out more here.
Wing Tai Retail
It’s the company that carries G2000, Fox Kids & Baby and DPAM, and you can visit any of these brands’ standalone stores to drop your pre-loved clothing into the collecting boxes there.
Collected items will be sorted by Greensquare for recycling or reuse, and Wing Tai is also collaborating with the Singapore arm of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to raise awareness about textile recycling.
Only clean apparel like tees, tops, shirts, dresses, pants, jeans and shorts are accepted – don’t dump in anything wet, stained, mouldy or torn – and the garments should be packed in sealed bags to prevent contamination.
Uniqlo
There are RE.UNIQLO boxes situated in all the brand’s stores where you can drop off old Uniqlo items for recycling. The clothes must be washed before donation and be in as optimal condition as possible.
Feathers and down are recycled into new garments, while wearable used clothing are distributed via NGOs and partners to people in need worldwide, such as refugees, disaster victims and displaced persons.
H&M
Launched in 2013, this global fast fashion giant’s Garment Collecting programme sees a green recycling bin located near the payment counter in all its stores. All you have to do is hand your bag of unwanted clothing to the cashier and you’ll receive a voucher for a discount on your next purchase.
They take garments and textiles by any brand and in any condition, but do be civic-minded and not put in soiled or wet items. The brand has taken considerable flak for ‘greenwashing’, as the majority of collected items is reportedly resold or downcycled for use as insulation while only a small percentage gets recycled into new fibres.
There are also arguments that fast fashion is, by design, wasteful. Still, we think every effort to extend the life cycle of clothing and prevent them from winding up in landfills helps. As consumers, the onus is also on us to be more mindful of what we buy.
Love, Bonito
Take an extra step towards a greener you by taking old clothes to a Love, Bonito store for upcycling. Do note that they only accept clean clothes. Defective garments are also accepted but they cannot be undergarments, lingerie, socks or swimwear.
Thryft.Asia
Take your used books and clothes to Thryft – a sustainable thrift store. You can either trade in or donate your preloved books or clothes. A pick up can also be arranged for a small fee, or drop them off at selected drop off locations.
Find out more about Thryft.Asia
Cloop
Cloop’s mission is to reduce fashion consumption and waste by keeping quality fashion pieces circulated within the community. They accept donations of clean, wearable preloved clothes through collection drives and donations. Slightly damaged and stained pieces are restored before being sorted in different categories.
Then items are resold at Cloop’s e-shop, the store at City Sprouts, swap events and blessed to beneficiaries with specific needs, upcycled and repurposed before getting recycled.
Part of the sales proceeds go to charity. There are about 400 textile bins located islandwide that accept clothes, bags, shoes and plush toys.
Locate the textile bins by Cloop here.
Image Mission
Image Mission accepts plus-sized work-appropriate clothes that are in good condition. The criteria is clothes that can be worn to a job interview, in current styles, of good quality and in good condition.
Share your photos via WhatsApp at 8754 5081 or email [email protected] before donating
Read more about Image Mission here. Then, make an appointment to drop off the clothes at Wintech Centre.
The Circular Classroom
Donate all used uniforms to The Circular Classroom. Collections are happening all weekends in January 2024, from 11 am to 7 pm. Head to Sophia Road, PlayPan at former Peace Centre Level 1 to drop off all washed uniforms.
Donating Books
Dignity Mama
Dignity Mama bookstore is a social enterprise under Project Dignity that employs adults with special needs. They man the bookstore with the help of other supportive caregivers.
The micro-enterprise model through zero-cost product via donations help the differently abled to gain basic employable skills. Donate books which are in good condition at either Changi General Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat, Ng Teng Fong Hospital, Seng Kang Hospital or NUH One@KentRidge.
Support Dignity Mama by buying books, handmade ornaments and stationery!
Books Beyond Borders
Support educational projects in rural places needing a literacy boost. Donate old and new English books for children and adults that are in good condition. Pack your preloved books into a box and arrange for a pick-up.
More details on how to donate to Books Beyond Borders here.
Migrant Library Singapore
Migrant Library Singapore was created for the many migrant workers in Singapore. It aims to spread the joy of reading, strengthen community bonding by conducting literary activities like poetry readings and book discussions.
It also takes a Mobile Library to dormitories, create Readers’ Clubs. You can donate books in Bengali, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai and Chinese.
The library is located at TWC2 Dayspace on Level 2, 1C Rowell Road. Call Mr Zilani at 82241290 or email [email protected] before heading down. The latest Facebook updates can be found here.
One Bag One Book
This book-sharing initiative was started by award-winning poet Zakir Hossain Khokan who is a Bangladeshi migrant worker. He wants to put a book in every worker’s bag. Through this, he hopes to give his peers improved literacy and a source of comfort.
You can donate books in Bengali, Tamil and Bahasa Indonesia to the library. Both Fiction and non-fiction books and welcome. Email [email protected] before donating. Check the Facebook page on details regarding donating.
Public Libraries, National Library Board
Did you know that apart from borrowing books, you can donate pre-loved books at NLB Public Libraries? There are Book Exchange Corners at the entrances of the libraries. You can drop off the books for fellow book lovers to read.
Books Don’t Throw Facebook Group
Post any books in this Facebook group and someone might just ask for it! There are people giving away novels, textbooks, assessment books and more.
Give away books here.
Ground Up Community Libraries
Find a ground up community library near you and donate children’s books to them. We have our list here, but do contact the library administrators before making your donations.
Donating Furniture, Electronics & Appliances
Passiton.org
Post big items such as furniture or appliances on passiton.org.sg to give your items to a family that needs it. Or look through the list of requests and meet their needs. Family Service Officers and Social Workers often look through the database to check if their clients require the items. You can be a real blessing by covering the cost of delivery as well.
Find out more here.
Karang Guni.com.sg
You might be tempted to junk appliances and computers that are not working. But how about getting a sum of money for your junk? Check out karungguni.com for more details.
NEA’s E-Waste Drop-Off Points
Alternatively dispose of your spoilt computers, ipads, smartphones responsibly and take them to one of NEA’s e-waste drop-off points. The e-waste can be properly recycled.
Engineering Good
Engineering Good is Singapore’s tech and engineering non-profit serving over 200 social service agencies. Its mission is to refurnish donated laptops for vulnerable groups and creating affordable, open-source assistive devices for individuals with disabilities.
Donate your laptops, ipads and smartphones here.
Byte.sg
BYTE (Bringing You Technology Empowerment) is a community ground-up, non-profit initiative that is dedicated to empowering lives through science, technology and design. It aims to achieve this by increasing access to technology and raising awareness and appreciation of technology through skills development programs.
You can also donate laptops and accessories, iPad/Tablet, Computer Monitor, Computer Speakers, Cables, Storage devices to Byte.sg.
Fill in this form or email [email protected] to reach out to them.
Miscellaneous Items
Love 2 Give 2 Love
Love 2 Give 2 Love collects many items for migrant workers from food to luggage, backpacks, men’s clothes, sarees and salwar suits. Do check their Facebook page for the latest news on donation drives.
Project Replay
If you have preloved toys and books to donate, drop them off at Project Replay at PlayPan! PlayPan is located at Peace Centre, Sophia Road, #01-34. The donations will be gifted to children in need and given a second life. However, bath toys and soft toys are not accepted.
Donate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays till mid January 2024!
Schedule a pick up and donate right at your doorstep. Enter details of the donations, pay a convenience fee for SADS to pick up your donations. You can also choose a direct drop off. Donate shoes, stationery, bags and clothes.
Click here to start donating.
Salvation Army Red Shield Industries
The first place that comes to mind whenever you want to donate anything is probably Salvation Army.
Items and furniture that are in good condition will be retailed at Salvation Army’s Family Stores and the proceeds are used to run the organisation’s various operations, from community and charity work to disaster relief. There are various donation-in-kind booths where you can bring your donations.
Salvation Army Red Shield Industries accept clothes, furniture, household goods, electronic devices, toys and books.
Something Old Something New
There are eight centres to donate to at Singapore Anglican Community Services’ Something Old Something New. You can donate preloved items to the platform to support the training and equipping of persons recovering from mental health conditions with retail and logistic skills to boost their employability.
Contact the organisation here.
Metta
You can donate wearable and usable clothing, shoes, bags as well as used IT equipment to Metta. The clothes, shoes and bags an be placed at the lobby of Metta Building. For more specific needs, click here.
You can also purchase the required groceries as stated in the link.
SCWO’s new2u Thrift Shop
You can donate bags, jewellery and watches in working condition, figurines, collectibles, toys and board games, kitchen ware, home décor to SCWO’s new2u Thrift Shop. Do note that because of space constraints, the organisation only accepts two bags or two boxes of donations per person.
Read the details here.
The Barn by Cornerstone Services
Drop off pre-loved items at the three Thrift Shops by Cornerstone Services. More specifically, the Penjuru outlet needs men’s clothes and accessories such as shoes, wallet, belt, umbrella, grooming iems like shaver, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, sports items, small household items like fan, rice cooker, water flask. You can also drop the items off at The Barn @ Katong.
See the locations of the thrift shops here.
MINDS Shop
Drop off your donations at the MINDS Shops at Margaret Drive and Woodlands Employment Centre. For donation of bulky items, you can contact [email protected].
Read the FAQ here.
Save That Pen
Save That Pen gives used and unwanted pens a new lease of life by collecting donated pens from around Singapore. Then the volunteers refill them and pass them on to underprivileged students in Singapore and the region.
Pens that cannot be refilled or reused are stripped of their plastic and metal parts for recycling.
They also run upcycling activities, turning used pen parts into creative items like pen lamps, stationery holders and pen art.
Find the bin locations here.
Singapore Really Really Free Market
Set up a stall at the SRRFM and give away your items to benefit your community. You can also offere free services to others. The next fair is happening in late January.
Check the latest information here.
Visio Optical’s Spectacle Donation
Visio Optical runs a spectacle collection programme to make spectacles available to the needy. Donate your old spectacles or sunglasses, any frames that you do not use. . Beneficiaries include elderly people in nursing homes and day-care centres as well as needy families.
See the details here.
Package Pals
Package Pals is a circular packaging initiative. Founded on the principles of Reduce and Reuse, they seek to give single-use packaging new life by collecting & distributing second hand packaging to local businesses for reuse. Donate large polymailers, large paper envelopes, padded envelopes and bubble wrap.
Find out more here.
Facebook Groups for Giving Away of Preloved Items & Carousell
You can also consider giving away items directly on Facebook or Carousell. Some givers might state the need to show the Blue CHAS card. You can view the groups here:
- Blessing items for low-income families – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401869386774919
- Give away (Singapore) – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1122215354469253
- Joyful Hearts.sg – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1755247254728047
- (Singapore) give away/donate item FOC for those might need https://www.facebook.com/groups/218708315645653
- Free Your Stuff Singapore https://www.facebook.com/groups/526793281460081
If you enjoyed this story, we think you may also enjoy this one on thrift shops in Singapore or this one on spring cleaning tips.
