Where to donate clothes to an Islamic charity?

If you've recently given your closest a good clear-out and have decided you'd specifically like any old clothes you no longer wear to benefit Islamic causes, the ease with which you'll be able to find relevant organisations able to accept your donation will depend on where you live. If you're based in a remote area, your act of giving may involve a long car journey on your part, or your chosen charity collecting your clothes from your home.

If you don't live close to an Islamic Hands textile bank, contact the charity to find out if it can arrange for your clothes donation to be collected from your home. Call 0208 521 3220 or 07943 822 265. Double-check that there are no Islamic Hands clothes donation drop-off points at mosques, schools, community centres, shops or supermarkets in your area. Providing a collection service costs charities money, so your donation will be worth more if you can take your clothes to a bank yourself.

Navigate to Islamic Relief UK's online clothes bank location tool. Tap your town or postcode into the search box to find textile drop-off points close to you. You'll stand a better chance of finding a clothes bank nearby if you live in an area that's home to a large Muslim population. At times of emergency, such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami or the Asia Earthquake, Islamic Relief UK sorts items and sends them to affected areas. At other times, items of clothing are sold to raise funds.

Contact the Ummah Welfare Trust by telephone on either 08004 080 011 or 01204 383 732 and ask for details of the charity's nearest textiles bank. You can find a list of towns and cities where the organisation has clothes drop-off points on its website, but no precise location deatils, so you'll be best off calling. The Ummah Welfare Trust requests that those leaving donations wash and iron clothes before dropping them off.

Secular charities with no direct or ideological link to Islam carry out work with vulnerable Muslims around the world. Dropping your clothes off at a local Oxfam, British Red Cross or Save the Children shop will help support this work. Deliver your donation in the day during opening hours. Clothes left outside shops overnight can become damaged or get stolen. Some charities will be happy to arrange collection if you have a large donation.

If you're having trouble donating your clothes to an Islamic charity, sell your textiles online using auction and classified services and donate the money you make to the organisation of your choice. Add a note to your listing explaining that the proceeds of your sale will be going to charity. If you make a donation online using a debit card, the charity you choose will be able to apply for Gift Aid if you're a UK taxpayer. Alternatively, contact your nearest mosque to find out if it may be able to use the clothes you want to donate.