Are you a parent who’s wanting to clear out your child’s old clothes in an eco-friendly way? If you have piles of outgrown children’s clothing cluttering up the house, we’ll bet you’re looking to pass on what your kids no longer wear. So to help, we’ve listed the quickest and most thrifty ways to get rid of your child’s old clothing right now.
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If You’re Happy To Give Your Children’s Clothing Away For Free
If you’re happy to give away your child’s old clothing for free, then just follow the basic principles of reuse, reduce and recycle. Why not help the planet and others in the meantime?
1. Give To A Friend Or Family Member With Slightly Younger Children
This is by far the easiest way to pass on clothes which still have plenty of life left in them. Take a photo or two and ask your friends directly via WhatsApp. Of course none of us want to be storing bags full of too-large children’s clothes indefinitely, but if you choose a friend who has children of similar or slightly younger age, you can do a regular clear out and offer clothes which will fit as the next size up. If it’s a no, go to one of the reuse groups or methods listed below.
2. Donate To Your Nursery Or Childcare Setting
Pants? Who wants second-hand children’s pants? Turns out your local childminder, nursery, playgroup or Reception class might. They’re often looking for spare items of underwear that can be used in an emergency. It won’t matter if these items go home and are never seen again.
Dressing-up clothes and spare basics like joggers and t-shirts are also good to offer to your local nursery or childcare setting.
3. List Clothes For Free On Your Local Facebook Reuse Group
Collect items together which are a similar size and offer them as a ‘bundle’. For example, ‘girls age 3-5, includes leggings, dresses and skirts’; ‘boys age 2-4, including 3 pairs joggers and 7 tops’. Take a photo of the items grouped together on a neutral surface, then package them in a bag with a label until someone turns up to collect. This is usually easier than listing things individually, which is time-consuming for you, and doesn’t shift anything in bulk.
The great thing about using local reuse groups is that you know those clothes are going directly to someone who you know is going to make use of them – and all without the air miles or packaging costs too.
You may be surprised that there are people out there (Happity team members included!) who really will make use of bundles of spare socks and gloves.
4. Respond to Local Appeals For Clothing – Clear Out Your Child’s Old Clothes
Local children’s centres or food/clothing banks will often run appeals through posters, word-of-mouth or Facebook posts looking for bundles of clothing for local families. Again, they will usually look for gender and age range, e.g. ‘boys age 5-6’. Get in the habit of storing similar sized clothing together as you collect it up, then it will be all ready to pass on in a bag.
We’ve also heard of local fire stations collecting warm winter coats so keep your eyes peeled when you’re out and about in town.
5. Give To Second-Hand School Uniform Collections
If you already have a child in school, chances are that there will be someone organising second-hand school uniform. While they may prioritise children in need who are in the school, many will also hold second-hand school uniform sales where you can also pick up a bargain – save money and avoid buying new at the same time.
6. Donate To Your Local Charity Shop Or Charity Bin Collection
Your local charity shop is always on the look-out for good quality clothes. But before you bundle all those worn clothes up in a bag, really take a look at what state they are in. Charity shops won’t – and can’t – sell clothing which is stained, torn, or otherwise not in good condition. So think to yourself, ‘Would I buy it?’ If it’s a ‘no’, it may be one to offer to a friend as a spare, or even to go straight in the textile recycling.
7. Find Crafters, Embroiderers Or People On The Look Out For Scraps Of Fabric
People who reuse scraps of fabric for crafting are usually easy to find on local reuse Facebook groups or communities. Often they will actively post and ask for bits of material. Those old jeans which are ripped and torn? They may want the pockets to make a bag.
8. Take To Textile Recycling – Clear Out Your Child’s Old Clothes
If clothes are still hanging around you’ve gone through all these options, your best bet is probably the textile recycling offered by your local council. After all, no one really wants your child’s old stained vests or sleepsuits. But if they hold memories for you, check out our keepsake idea below. After all, they’re worth much more to you than someone else.
9. Turn Into A Keepsake – Clear Out Your Child’s Old Clothes
If an item of clothing really does have sentimental value for you, why not cut out a section and make it into a keepsake like a pillow case, cushion cover or even some usual artwork? Stacey Solomon from BBC’s Sort Your Life Out often has great ideas for how to do this.
If an item means something to you or triggers a favourite memory, it’s worth holding onto in one form or another. You can always reevaluate what you have in a year or so and decide whether or not to let it go then.
If You’re Hoping To Make Money From Your Children’s Old Clothes
If you want to try and make a bit of cashback on your children’s clothes, try the top suggestions then work down the list. We’ve started with the most local and eco-friendly ways of shifting your children’s old clothes before moving onto ideas which may need postage and packaging.
1. Sell At An NCT Nearly New Sale Or Similar Children’s Clothing Sale
Again, go for clothes which are still in fashion, good quality and which you know you would use again with a child of a similar age. Sleeping bags (though not strictly a clothes item) do seem to sell well here, along with children’s coats and jackets. There can be a lot of clothes on view here though (think rails and rails of 0-3 months clothing) so don’t be surprised if the volunteers running the sale return a big bag of clothes to you at the end of the day! Remember most parents here will be looking for bargains, so expect to price most items for 50p-£1. You can try higher prices for coats and clothing which is particularly lovely.
2. List On Facebook Marketplace
Directly market a piece of children’s clothing to the ready-made audience on Facebook Marketplace. Hopefully you’ll get a local customer but if not, people will often search in a radius of 5-10km.
3. Try A Car Boot Sale – Clear Out Your Child’s Old Clothes
Some items of clothing sell really well at car boots. Others not at all. Think about what you yourself would buy, and go for those items. We bet you’re more likely to buy an item of dress-up clothing or good quality coat rather than a bundle of worn sleepsuits. Items we know from previous experience can sell rather well:
- Dress-up clothes like Elsa dresses, any fairytale princess, Spiderman etc.
- Seasonal dress-up items like Halloween
- Branded shoes like Kickers and Converse
4. Sell On Vinted – Clear Out Your Child’s Old Clothes
Some parents swear by Vinted for picking up bargains when it comes to children’s clothes. Our rule of thumb is, if the item of clothing is brand-new and/or with tags, give Vinted a shot. If it’s nearly new, branded or in excellent condition, also try listing it. But if it doesn’t look great in a photo, chances are it’s not going to sell anyway
You can’t expect to make much from selling, or passing on, your children’s old clothes, but you can feel better knowing you’re making a difference to the fast fashion industry in being as eco and thrifty as possible.
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