Bra Recycling for Charity – Where To Send Your Bras
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Don’t bin your bras! Did you know that there are specific bra recycling schemes, that help benefit charity too? Read on for all the information you need to know.
Did you know you’re supposed to be measured for a bra every 6 months to ensure you’re wearing the correct size?
Whilst I don’t get measured that frequently (I’ve found a trick to make your bra last longer!), I once got measured after a prolonged break. Here, I found out I was wearing a completely wrongly sized bra.
Right enough, the correct-sized bra was a huge improvement. However, it left me with a small collection of gently used unsuitably sized bras that I had no idea what to do with. I certainly didn’t know about bra recycling.
And again, when I was pregnant with my daughter, my correctly sized bras quickly became ill-fitting. I saved them until after I had my daughter and finished breastfeeding. However, by then my shape had changed so much that I had to buy new bras. Again, I was left with a few gently used bras that no longer fitted but were by no means at the end of their life cycle. Quite the opposite actually.
What Can You Do With Unwanted Bras?
So what do you do with old bras? Sell them on eBay? Donate to the charity shop? But who wants to buy used bras? I’m happy to buy most things secondhand, but secondhand underwear is one area that I probably wouldn’t think about.
Textile recycling? There’s so little fabric on bras that is it even worth recycling them in textile banks? Put them in the bin? Bras aren’t cheap to buy and it seems a terrible waste to send them to landfill.
Enter Bra Recycling
I was a bit stumped on bra recycling until my friend shared on Facebook about an amazing charity based in West Lothian, where I live. This charity, Smalls For All, specialises in bra recycling. As such, Smalls For All take in gently used bras, as well as new bras and pants from all over the UK. After quality checking them, the bras then get sent out to girls and women in both Africa and the UK.
In Africa, Smalls for All help those living in orphanages, slums, IDP (internally displaced persons) camps, and schools. Donations also go to those in hospitals suffering from medical conditions like obstetric fistula – a post-birth complication.
Smalls For All underwear has gone to many African countries, including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe.
Within the UK, Smalls for All helps charities that focus on alleviating poverty in the UK by providing them with underwear, including your good quality recycled bras.
Where to Send Your Bras For Recycling
You can post your gently worn unwanted and freshly laundered bras for recycling to:
Smalls For All
Five Sisters Business Park
Westwood
West Calder
West Lothian
EH55 9PN
This is the updated address as of December 2022.
Please note, I receive a HUGE volume of emails asking me if I’m still collecting bras. I am not connected to the charity. I am simply using this article to spread the word about this bra recycling initiative. As such, I personally don’t collect bras. Please make sure you direct your query to Smalls for All.
It’s not just about bra recycling. As well as gently worn bras in all sizes, Smalls for All also gladly accepts new and unworn pants in children’s sizes aged 3-15 years, UK ladies’ sizes 8-14, and men’s sizes XS-L. All colours of pants are collected, however, the ladies’ pants in greatest demand are black – in full brief, midi, mini, or high-leg styles.
How Else Can You Help?
If you’d like to set up a bra recycling collection point in your local community then you can download posters for your workplace, sports club, school, etc. You can also donate money if you’d prefer, and you can connect with Smalls for All via Facebook and Twitter.
PS: if you have changed bra size, then I have a guide to ethical underwear that you might be interested in. And if you are clearing out your undie drawers, then do also check out my guide on how to use old socks in so many different ways.
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Thank you for information about new address. I have a small donation of new and hardly worn bras and I will send them off to West calder.
Regards Tricia
Check the Small for All website before sending your underwear as it looks like their address has changed since this post.
Thanks for this Karen – it changed in August so I will get this updated. I believe they suffered a fire at their previous place.
Hello, I have 4 big bags of Bras, please can you arrange to collect. I live in Jersey Channel Island.
Why only black pants? Will you take new coloured ones?
Hi The black pants were for a particular appeal as that is what Days4girls put in their hygiene packs. Smallsforall take any colour of new pants as per website.
Hi Amelia, sorry to hear you have taken issue with this. I’m not advocating replacing your underwear for no reason. People can change bra sizes, through weight loss or gain, pregnancy, surgery and so forth, and I’m just trying to provide a way to recycle bras that haven’t had much wear, but that charity shops often don’t accept/sell. The charity don’t send any old bras to Africa, only new and gently worn ones. Older ones are sent for fabric recycling.
Is Smalls for All still in business? I have collected box of bras and want to be sure they will be received at the Livingston address
So for clarity do you want gently worn ladies pants? I am more than happy to pay any postage along with some gently worn bras but obviously won’t if the pants/knickers are going to be thrown away.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi, I have several bras I wanted to send to Smalls for All but their website isn’t working. Are they still in business and should I send to the West Lothian address or are there collections in other areas?
Thanks
I have twice sent huge bags of bras and knickers to one of these charities from Australia. A local group sent a container full of bras and other clothing to Africa from our regional city. It feels good to be able to repurpose things that are in excellent condition but no longer needed in our ‘rich’ society
I’ve just come across your site as I’m looking for a charity to accept several slightly used bras. The Smalls for all site isn’t loading so I’m wondering if they’ve gone out of business?
Hi Michele, it’s working for me, so worth trying again. They are still very much in business!
I have about twenty bras to send
Can you send a postage paid label, as I imagine it will cost a lot to send them
If not, where can I take them in Doncaster , Yorkshire
Is the above address still valid? I have some items I would like to send
Yes it is! I’m sure they would love to receive them!
I’ve a bag full of bras. Where can I take them ?
HI Kathryn, you need to post them to the address above.
This is fabulous. I have several bras that no longer fit me but are still in beautiful condition. Many of them have matching knickers.
Do you also twke swimwear? I have a couple of bikinis and tankinis (again, hardly worn), which I’d love to donate. Thank you.
Hi Karen, it’s not me that collects them – it’s the charity Smalls for All. You’l need to contact them directly to see if they take things like that: http://www.smallsforall.org/
A colleague of mine put this request on our work’s intranet – we have a predominately female workforce and was inundated with donations all of which went to this charity – a big variety of sizes etc… a brilliant idea
Can people from the U.S send in stuff?
If you’re happy to pay postage then of course!
Hello – we have been collecting bras where I work and I wondered if you would like them. People have been very generous and I have about 100 bras. They were collected to support women in Africa and people really engaged in the campaign. thank you
Hi Cecilia, it’s not me that runs the campaign it’s the charity Smalls For All! I was just helping to spread the word about this cause! Here’s the link to their page on how to donate bras: http://www.smallsforall.org/get-involved/donate/
what a fantastic cause this is – thank you for the inspiration to make a difference this way! i’m excited to ship a small donation to ‘smalls for all’, to get myself more educated on important issues, like women’s health and to find ways to contribute
What a great charity, thanks for sharing. Have a look at sewpowerful.org this charity supplies hand made bags (or purses) containing sanitary supplies which equip girls in Africa to stay on at school during their periods thus enabling them to finish their education and lift themselves out of the poverty trap.
Great idea, but I have a problem! I used to collect old bras form the members of my exercise classes for Hampshire Air Ambulance.. bras for Africa. Unfortunately, they no longer do this and I now have a LARGE, and rather heavy bag of bras! Obviously, it would be VERY costly to post them or pay for them to be delivered to you.
Perhaps I’ll have to ask the local Oxfam shop, unless you have any other ideas??
Hi Pam, it’s not me that collects the bras, it;s the charity Smalls For All. I was just spreading the word! Best to contact them directly – http://www.smallsforall.org/ :)
Great idea. I am having a declutter and have quite a few hardly worn bras. Will arrange postage asap
Have you also heard about Sals Shoes? They are a charity that will happily take and redistribute used school shoes, kids wellies, trainers, sparkly shoes etc to kids of Africa. Some schools won’t allow children to go to school without a pair of shoes and as kids feet grow so fast, I know our kids shoes would definitely be welcomed!
What a wonderful idea.I have many barely worn and unworn bras and am delighted to think they will help someone.Will def pass on this site to friends-many of whom feel the same.Well done.
I am glad that there are campaigns like this and I will definitely send my unused bras. This is really a great way not only to help people in need, but to reduce the waste of materials around the world.
Thank you for sharing this! :)
Hello Wendy,
Like Sophie I have many unused bras at home. I discussed this with my friends we was think about something similar but you have a better idea I must admit. I’m very happy that you shared it with us!
Thank you! Have a nice summer!
I am so happy to have found a home for some hardly worn but pretty bras which don’t fit anymore. Retrieved one from the bedroom bin this morning after I heard an article on radio 4 about bras for a charity going astray in Africa – good timing. There’s plenty more I’m now happy to part company with. Will get parcel in post – and will pass on the word to my girl friends
My partner & I will be moving soon & I have loads of old bra’s that I haven’t had the heart to throw away in the hopes that they might be of some use to someone for something one day.. I have jotted the address down & will be posting them out soon.
Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention! I have so many unused bras at home (currently travelling so I’m obviously not using them) and would have pondered donating them but this seems like an awesome solution. Great post :)
My pleasure Sophie! Happy travels! :)
Great ! I have posted it on my FB page – Bodhi.
Cool post. Thanks for sharing this info! Do you happen to know/have you heard if there is anything like this that collects closer to Australia?
I’m sorry, I live in the UK so Australian based organisations are a bit of an unknown to me. Perhaps any Australian readers might know?
Look it up on the internet, Ella !!
This is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing!
Wendy, this gave us a great idea for my business. I could make a marketing campaign and collect all of the unwanted bras for free. Thank you very much Wendy.
Amazing post! I have quite a few bras that are barely worn in my drawers, I’m going to send them off :)
Great Amber, glad I could help! :)
What a great idea! I had no idea that simply owning undies could help these girls out. Definitely keeping this in mind the next time I get measured.
Wendy, this is super useful, thanks! What a great initiative. :)
That’s great – I have a bag of new pants as well.
Such a great scheme and one of those things we take for granted. Thanks for sharing Wendy and enjoy the rest of the week!
Thanks for sharing, its a great idea:) Happy Zero waste week:)
Great post! I’ve linked to it on my blog : )
Ha, this post comes at the right moment as I was wondering about my collection of too big, hardly worn bras. Thank you very much – parcel to be sent soon