Charity thrift stores across Canada are discarding an increasing volume of donated clothing in landfills because they cannot move the inventory [1, 2].
This trend undermines the perceived environmental benefit of donating used garments. While donors believe they are extending the life of their clothing, a growing share of these items is being treated as waste rather than reusable goods [1, 2].
Non-profit resale shops in provinces including Nova Scotia report being flooded with donations [2]. The volume of incoming clothing has exceeded the capacity of these organizations to sort and sell the items. This surplus is compounded by a shift in the international market for used textiles, which has historically absorbed clothing that local thrift stores could not sell [1, 2].
Operating these stores requires significant space and labor to process donations. When the cost of sorting and the physical space required to store clothing exceed a charity's capacity, the remaining items are sent to landfills [1, 2]. The current system is unable to keep pace with the amount of clothing being donated, leading to a cycle of waste.
The issue highlights a disconnect between consumer behavior and the actual infrastructure available to manage textile waste. As more people donate in hopes of sustainability, the sheer volume of low-quality or unwanted clothing is overwhelming the non-profit sector [1, 2].
“Charity thrift stores across Canada are discarding an increasing volume of donated clothing in landfills”
The shift toward landfilling donated goods suggests that the 'donation model' of sustainability is failing under the weight of fast fashion. As the quality of garments declines and the global secondhand market fluctuates, charities can no longer act as the primary safety net for textile waste, necessitating a move toward more robust industrial recycling or reduced consumption.
