What Should You do With Your Old Bras?
Many women have underwear draws cluttered up with old or unused bras – mainly because we aren’t sure how to dispose of them! As multi-material items (think fabric, elastic and metal wiring), it can be tricky to figure out if they are suitable for recycling, or if donation is a better choice. Truth is, there are three main options open to women, as bras can be:
- Donated
- Recycled
- Resold
In this article, we introduce you to each option and explain how it could help you.
Where to donate bras
Donating your bras to a charity shop not only makes space in your underwear draw, but is also an easy way to help a good cause. Check with your local charity shops to see if they accept underwear – some may only take unused, tagged bras, while other shops may be more lenient.
How to recycle bras
Alternatively, you can post them to one of the following charities for redistribution and recycling:
- Smalls for Alls, a charity that distributes new and ‘gently worn’ donated bras to women and girls living in orphanages, slums and other disadvantaged areas of Africa.
- Against Breast Cancer, who run a Bin Your Bra recycling scheme to raise funds for breast cancer research, but also help small businesses in Togo, Ghana and Kenya, and give African women bras they cannot afford. Either send the bras directly to the charity, or look up your local bra bank.
- Oxfam give the bras to their social enterprise, Frip Ethique, which enables locals to sell the donated bras and make a living.
If your bra is truly worn out condition, standard bra recycling will be your remaining option, but luckily it is an environmentally-friendly one – preventing textile waste from overloading landfill sites. Check with your local recycling facility or council to find out your recycling options.
Where to resell bras
Though we recommend donating or recycling your bras, there is always the option to resell – but only if your bras are in new condition. Online selling platforms, such as eBay, are the obvious place to start as these sites enable you to easily sell items to a wide, national audience. Alternatively, you could go down the local route and try selling at your local car boot sale.
Here at Woodford Recycling, we’re committed to helping people and the planet with our services. We aim to recycle 100% of the waste we collect to prevent it from entering landfill. Get in touch today, and find out how we can help your home and business today – we serve a wide area of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough.