Q. Do you give the clothes you collect to the homeless?
A. Yes we do if that is what is needed, but so often the need is not just for clothes but for a bed, a meal, counselling, etc. We, therefore, sell most of the clothes to raise funds so that these other "non-clothing" needs can be satisfied as well.

Q. Why do you sell the clothes instead of giving then to those who need them?
A. This is a complex question. Firstly, so far as we are able, we ensure that all humanitarian needs for clothing both at home and abroad are satisfied completely free of charge. Of course transporting the clothes to where they are needed can be very expensive. So often though clothes are not the primary need; in the UK someone may need a bed, some food, some warmth. In a disaster situation the need may be for water, food, housing, tools and so on. So your clothing, for which we are so grateful, will be sold and the funds raised used to supply many other needs.

Q. Yes, but you sell clothes to developing countries where the wages are very low. Shouldn’t you give them for nothing?
A. We do give them if that is the best way but this is not always so. Consider this: human dignity is priceless, but it can be destroyed in a moment; constant giving, in the wrong way, can do this. The Salvation Army tries to care for the whole person, and we have found that providing goods at prices which people can afford is a more effective way of helping someone. Selling them abroad also gives a double “whammy” of helping people in the developing countries and then using the funds raised to help satisfy needs in this country, as well.

Q. Do you take shoes?
A. Yes. We need your shoes, but please remember to tie them together so that we can keep them in pairs.

Q. Do you take toys?
A. Yes we do, but please make sure they are complete sets. It is best to "wrap" them individually so all the pieces stay together.

Q. Do you take Furniture?
A. In certain parts of the UK we do, so call us on
0845 458 1812 and ask.

Q. Do you take duvets and pillows?
A. Because of their "fillings" these are difficult to reuse and so generally we prefer not to take these items.

Q. Do you take bric a brac and china?
A. These items are breakable and thus difficult to collect. We can, however, use them in our High Street Shops, so please make sure that they are well packed and adequately marked as breakable. Thanks.

Q. Do you take clothes that are dirty or have holes in them?
A. No thank you. A simple question to ask is: - "Would I wear this?" If the answer is No, then probably no one else would.

Q. I've been told that clothes put into a clothing bank are "ragged". Is that true?
A. No it most definitely is not! At present (December 2006) over 80% of the items put into our clothing banks are reused as clothes; about 15% will be recycled into wiper cloths or similar because they are not fit to wear.

Q. I've been told that selling second hand clothes abroad "damages" the local textile manufacturing industry.
A. This is an emotional subject; however, it is a justifiable question. Several studies have been made by independent authorities and all conclude that in general it is a good thing to re-use the clothing in this way. (check out the information page where you will find links to some of these reports)
However, our own experiences in this fascinating market place show the following. It creates major employment in all countries, e.g. in Ghana it has been estimated that up to 20% of the working population is employed in the used clothing chain. It makes good quality clothing available to that country's residents at affordable prices. It enables governments to collect duty from the importers of second-hand clothing thus helping their economies. The effect on the individual local clothing industry is very complex; but we have not been able to identify any specific adverse effects.

Q. Do the funds you raise support your "church" worship activities?
A. No; all funds raised from the sale of second hand clothes are used to support our "social" activities which provide support for those less fortunate than ourselves.