Clothes

Also called: clothing, T-shirt, dress, jumper, coat, socks

Drop-off point

National rules. Choose your council to see its answer.

Your council's answer

The answer can differ by council. Choose your council to see its rules for this item.

How to prepare it

  1. Donate wearable items to a charity shop
  2. Worn or torn clothes can go in textile banks
  3. Bag them to keep them dry

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National rules

The answer isn't the same in every UK nation. Choose your council to see the one that applies to you.

England

Drop-off point

Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point.

Donate wearable items to charity shops; use textile banks for worn clothes, shoes and bedding.

Also: Recycling centre

England-wide guidance, checked 26 Sep 2026. View the source

Scotland

Drop-off point

Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point.

Donate wearable items to charity shops; use textile banks or recycling centres for worn clothes, shoes and bedding.

Also: Recycling centre

Scotland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source

Wales

Drop-off point

Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point.

Check your council: some Welsh councils collect clothes and textiles with your recycling; otherwise donate to charity or use textile banks.

Also: Recycle at home, Recycling centre

Wales-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source

Northern Ireland

Drop-off point

Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point.

Donate wearable items to charity shops; use clothing banks for worn clothes, shoes and bedding.

Also: Recycling centre

Northern Ireland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source

How to recycle it

National schemes anyone in the UK can use.

National scheme

H&M garment collecting

Free · Return in store

Put clean clothes and textiles of any brand, in any condition, in the garment collection box at an H&M store.

  1. Bag up clean clothes and household textiles from any brand
  2. Put them in the garment collection box in an H&M store
  3. H&M members may get a money-off voucher in return

Find your nearest H&M

Source: www2.hm.com, checked 10 Oct 2026.

National scheme

M&S and Oxfam Another Life (formerly Shwopping)

Free · Return in store

Drop unwanted clothes and soft furnishings of any brand at an Another Life donation station in M&S, or at an Oxfam shop.

  1. Bag up clothes or soft furnishings (they don't need to be from M&S)
  2. Leave them at the Another Life donation station in an M&S store, or hand them in at an Oxfam shop
  3. Donating at an Oxfam shop with at least one M&S-labelled item gets you one £5 M&S voucher per visit (£5 off £35). Swimwear, underwear, socks and damaged items don't qualify for the voucher

Find your nearest drop-off point Find your nearest M&S

Source: oxfam.org.uk, checked 10 Oct 2026.

In our guides

Recycle This isn't run by or endorsed by any council or the government. Councils change their services, so check anything important with your council.