Donate Smart: Know Where It Goes
When donating or recycling your items, it’s important to understand what ultimately happens to them. Do they stay local or get shipped abroad? Is the business or organization transparent about what they do with your materials? (If they’re not, then it’s probably a sign that they don’t do what they say they do.)
We know it’s hard to find these answers, so resourcePhilly helps make it a little easier by prioritizing local, verifiable options in the search results over non-local solutions that don’t disclose what they do with materials.
Is your stuff in reusable condition?
For most places that accept donations of items for reuse or resale, the following guidance is generally applicable. Some places have other requirements for specific items, so be sure to check their listing and contact them in advance if you are unsure what they’ll accept.
Do bring your items for donation if they are:
- Clean (NOT dirty, rusty, moldy, smelly, stained, etc.)
- In reusable / resellable shelf-ready condition
- Fair to new condition
- Functioning – not broken or missing parts
Do NOT bring your items for donation if they are:
- Dirty, soiled, mildewed, rusty, leaking
- Broken, cracked, ripped/torn, missing parts, in need of repair
- Flammable, toxic, hazardous, or otherwise dangerous for staff and volunteers
Donating Food
Fighting Food Waste in Philly
Learn more about food waste recovery organizations in this article in PhillyMag.
Reuse, Salvage and Thrifting
Thrifting: A primer
New to thrifting? Check out this primer on its impact on the economy and our environment.
Upcycling vs. Creative Reuse: What’s the Difference?
Curious about upcycling and creative reuse? Dive into both in this article.
Dive Deeper into Reusable Packaging
Reusable Containers in Philadelphia
Learn about the work that Circular Philadelphia’s doing to promote the use of reusable containers over single-use.
What is a Refillery?
Learn more about what refilleries are and how they help you reduce your packaging waste.
Upstream’s Reuse Coalitions
Want to get more involved in advocating for reuse? Learn more about Upstream’s Reuse Coalitions.