The Best Places To Donate Your Old Bras
According to The Bra Recyclers, the average woman owns six bras, but only wears two. And 8 out of 10 of us are wearing the wrong size. If you’re like me, you have a few favorite bras that you like to wear the most, and others that sit in your drawers, unworn and unloved. Maybe your bra size changed and they just don’t fit right, or maybe your style changed and you’re long overdue for a few new bras.
Many of us are guilty of throwing our old bras away, but did you know you can actually donate your new or gently used bras, instead of just trashing them? With donation, drop-off, and mail in options, it’s easier than ever to give your bras a second life by sending them to a bra recycling organization. These organizations are always looking for bra donations and are happy to take your new and gently worn bras (just be sure to wash them first!)
Here are the best places to donate your old bras:
The Bra Recyclers
The couple that runs this clothing recycling company believes in recycling, reusing, or repurposing bras. The partner with organizations to distribute bras to women and girls in need. And if the bras can’t be worn again, they make sure they are repurposed, so they don’t end up in landfills. They partner with ambassadors all over the world to recycle bras, and also support over 80 non profit organizations that benefit women and girls escaping domestic violence, drug addiction, human trafficking and breast cancer survivors. If you want to work with the Bra Recyclers, you can visit one of their drop off locations, or mail in your new or gently used bras.
Free the Girls
This international non profit believes in creating economic opportunities for those who have been victims of sex trafficking. They partner with reintegration programs that help to restore health and social well-being to the women involved, while also allowing these same women to start their own businesses selling bras in their local second-hand clothing markets. They can work and still go to school and spend time with their families, creating their own, hopeful futures. Donate your old bras here, or drop-off your bras here.
Your local lingerie store
Many local lingerie stores are happy to accept your gently worn bra donations. Stores like Busted In Detroit and A Sophisticated Pair partner regularly with local organizations and shelters to give bras to women in need. As an added bonus, lingerie specialty stores like these are dedicated to helping you find the perfect fitting bra, so they offer bra fittings and expert bra shopping advice that you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re short on time, they’ll save you time and money by selecting the best bras for you so you don’t have to try on 100 different bras. Best of all, you’ll leave with a fabulous lingerie wardrobe and your donations will help a woman feel more confident and supported in her daily life.
Related: When Is The Best Time Of The Year To Buy Lingerie?
Charlotte Padded Bra 6901 in Dusty Rose/Black, Wild Pink/Black, Icy Blue/Black, Purple Wine, Red/Black
Donate Your Bra
A non profit organization, Donate Your Bra is a distribution center that sends out donations to cancer survivors. They send items out to shelters, breast cancer survivor support groups, and charities all over the world. Do you have olds bras, lingerie, and swimsuits that you’re holding on to, hoping that they’ll come back into fashion, or maybe fit again? Give them to a good cause instead! Donate your bras, lingerie, swimming suits, and cancer survivor items to Bras For A Cause.
Smalls For All
A Scottish charity that collects and distributes underwear (bras included) to help women and children in Africa by providing them with, you guessed it, underwear. They give new underwear to those living in slums, orphanages, camps, schools, and hospitals. To ensure the underwear makes it to the people who need it most, they partner with a number of organizations, and you can track donation progress here. As for the bras, the new and gently used bras that are collected are sent to developing countries to help women their earn an income by selling the bras. Old or broken bras get recycled and the women raised help towards running the service. Donate your bras here!
Uplift Project
This project understands that some women just don’t have access to bras, as they are either unobtainable or not affordable. They collect new and secondhand bras and send them wherever they are needed. They want to give dignity back to women who want access to a simple item of clothing: a bra. Whether they are nursing mothers, mastectomy survivors, or average women, this project works with all of them. They are a registered charity that works with countries and organizations across the world to donate bras. Help them out here.
Related: Should You Get Rid Of Your Old Bras Or Fix Them?
Parfait Casey Plunge Molded Bra 2801 in Blue
Against Breast Cancer
This recycling venture raises funds for research. They work with textile recovery partners so that instead of going to landfills, they go to second homes in developing countries where producing bras locally is too expensive. Their network of bra banks raise funds for breast cancer research, and all you have to do is find a bra bank near you, or donate money to the cause!
Your local shelter
Sometimes, it’s hard to feel the cause and effect of your donations, and wanting to see the difference you’re making is totally normal. If you want to make a difference close to home, contact local domestic violence and homeless shelters to see if they have a need for donations. Think about all of the clothes you usually donate: do bras pop up on that list? They haven’t for me in the past, but now I know that donations don’t just stop at clothes.
Before doing this research, I was one of the culprits of bra trashing; in a recent move, I know that a bunch of my bras were thrown out or given to Goodwill, instead of sent on to these incredible organizations. Hopefully the next time you want to upgrade your bra selection and downsize your closet, you look up one of these programs to donate your bras to!
Related: Bra Shopping Guide: Tips For Buying New Bras
We Highly Recommend
Whether you’re shopping for new everyday bras or lingerie for a special occasion, it’s always a good idea to seek out a second opinion. We know how hard it is to find bras that fit well and feel good, especially when you’re doing it on your own. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your bra size or you just don’t know where to go to find good bras, it’s time to let a bra fitter help.
Many specialty lingerie boutiques offer bra fittings. Their expert bra fitters will take the pain and frustration out of bra shopping and do all the work for you. Even better, their product knowledge can save you time and money. Plus, they know where all of the best bras are hiding.
If you’ve struggled with finding bras in the right size, it’s time to make a change. Visit our specialty store locator to find a store near you and schedule an appointment.
Happy bra shopping!
