If you’re anything like most people in America, you probably have more stuff than you need to. In fact, recent research statistics have shown that the average American purchases twice — if not more — articles of clothing than they did two decades ago. Add to that the fact that technology has overly saturated society, meaning people are now constantly bombarded with subtle advertisements and social media posts that encourage people to feel inadequate if they don’t buy more stuff, have more stuff, or want more stuff! One of the tenants of Buddhism is that attachment leads to suffering, and if that’s truly the case then a whole lot of people in the United States are indeed suffering!
So what’s the best way to detach from suffering, feel light as a feather, and make a big difference in the world? Get rid of your stuff! And one of the most effective ways to get rid of your stuff is by deciding to donate clothes. Your closet is a great place to start your journey of ending suffering caused by attachment. People nowadays have so many articles of clothing and most of them aren’t even worn on a regular basis.
Clothing donations may not seem like a big deal or they may seem small in comparison to other forms of donations, such as donating blood, but used clothing donations can have a much larger impact than you could have ever imagined. In addition to helping you rid yourself of things that you no longer need, the value of charitable donations in terms of donating clothes has an environmental, community wide impact!
When you donate clothes, here are just a few ways it can make a big difference.
You’re making a big difference in the lives of people that can’t afford clothes
You may not need or care for that “ugly” Christmas sweater that your mother in law gave you, but that doesn’t mean that no one else will like it or be able to use it to stay warm. For many people, such as the homeless and other disadvantaged groups, clothing donations made by people who choose to donate clothes — like you — is the only way they can afford clothing, which is a basic need. Clothing sold by charity organizations is much more affordable than buying brand new clothing items, which allows lower income families and individuals an opportunity to meet their basic need. Furthermore, the revenues from clothing sales are used to support community rehabilitation efforts in order to continue helping others.
You’re providing disaster relief for those in need
Financially disadvantaged or insecure people are the only people that rely on used clothing from people that choose to donate clothes. Disaster victims, such as though who have endured a natural disaster or a house fire that destroyed all of their positions — such as their clothing — often rely on disaster relief services provided by charitable organizations. After losing everything due to a natural disaster, people are often not able to purchase everything new outright, including clothing. If you donate clothes however, you’re helping to support disaster relief efforts.
You’re helping the environment
When people think of pollution, they might think of agricultural runoff, toxic industrial waste, oil spills, litter, and other kinds of harm that may come to the environment. And while all of these can hurt the environment, fabric and textile waste are also major contributors. Typically speaking, the average American tosses out 70 pounds of clothing and fabric each year. That amounts to nearly 10.5 million tons of clothing sent to landfills each and every year! The saddest part is that 99% of clothing, fabric, and textile waste can be recycled! When you choose to donate clothes, you’re lifting the burden on already over burdened landfills. And by purchasing used clothes, people are reducing the high demand for the raw materials needed to make new clothes.
Stay organized
A cluttered closet can make it difficult to find what actually need to wear. The less things you have in your closet, the easier it is to organize!
