If you’ve been sitting at home recently, looking at a whole lot of stuff you don’t really need any more, now is the time to find it a new home. Don’t throw it away! While you might not want or need certain household items, there’s a family somewhere who would love to take them on – and a charity that will donate clothes, furniture, kitchen stuff or old baby gear for you. Check out the list below for everything you need to know about donating in Singapore.
# Where to give preloved items
Blessing of Items for Low Income Families
This is a Facebook group dedicated to connecting low-income families with generous donors. It allows anyone to post items they no longer need and to arrange collections with the receiver.
facebook.com/groups/589463271401893
Singapore Freecycle Network
Inspired by the Tucson Freecycle Network, this Singapore group encourages recycling by connecting people giving away goods to others seeking the same items. You can list your donations on the Freecycle website or Facebook page, and people who are interested can contact you directly and collect the items themselves – hassle-free!
facebook.com/groups/sgfreecycle
Pass-It-On
From home appliances to furniture, and also medical, mobility and learning aids, this non-profit project will distribute items in good working condition to the needy via a list of registered Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWO). If you have anything to give away, post it on Pass-It-On’s website, or take a look at the requested donation items. Collection can be arranged with the VWOs directly.
Re:Nue
The social enterprise arm of The Salvation Army (TSA) accepts preloved items for repurposing and reselling, channelling proceeds back to support the mission of TSA. It accepts a wide range of items that are clean and can be used again, including clothing, shoes, bags, sports equipment, electrical appliances, electronic items, furniture, medical devices, toys and household goods. Small items can be dropped at donation booths across Singapore. For bulky items and furniture, you can make an appointment for a collection service.
New2U Thrift Shop
The thrift shop accepts women’s, men’s and kids’ clothing, plus handbags, backpacks, watches, accessories, figurines, collectibles, kitchenware and home decorative items. Every dollar raised through the sale of items goes towards supporting the work done by the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations.
Fixer Upper Giveaway
Visit Fixer Upper Giveaway on Facebook if you have any broken home electronics, tools or spare parts to give away.
facebook.com/groups/fixerupper
# Where to donate clothing
Greensquare
If it’s not convenient for you to drop your donated items at a designated location, don’t fret. Greensquare is a textile recycling company that provides a free collection service. This means you don’t have to step foot outside your door!
Cloop
Spotted a white or yellow textile recycling bin in your neighbourhood? That’s where you can drop fashion apparel and accessories, textiles, bags, plushies and shoes that are still in great condition for recycling by Cloop. Items dropped into the white collection boxes are recirculated domestically through community events and pop-ups, with proceeds going to charity. Items dropped in the yellow bins are recycled or repurposed as refurbished fashion items, textile wipers, sports surfaces or fibres.
H&M Garment Collection
Started in 2013, this initiative allows you to drop off unwanted garments and textiles – no matter the brand or condition – at any H&M store. For every bag donated, you’ll receive a discount voucher for your next purchase. If you’re a H&M member, there’s an additional voucher for 15 percent off, as well as 40 points that can be accumulated and converted into vouchers. In 2023, H&M Group and Remondis (a global leader in waste management) launched an independent company called Looper Textile Co. to participate more directly in sorting unwanted garments and textiles and facilitating reuse and recycling.
Zara Used Clothing Collection
Pop your used clothing, footwear and accessories of any brand in bags and place them in containers found in Zara stores. These will be delivered to local organisations that will sort the garments and then, based on their condition, decide whether to distribute them to people at risk of exclusion, sell them to second-hand stores or recycle them.
RE.UNIQLO Recycling Programme
If you have clean Uniqlo clothing that you no longer wear, pass it to staff at the counter of any Uniqlo store. The brand has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and NGOs and NPOs around the world to distribute clothing that can be reused to refugees and the underprivileged. Clothes that can’t be reused are recycled so that the raw materials such as down and feathers can be used for insulation and soundproofing.
Share At Door Step
If you have sneakers, dress shoes or boots that you no longer wear, Share at Door Step (SADS) will take them. They just need to be in reusable condition – no damage or mould, and free of dirt and stains. SADS works with local social organisations and charities to distribute the shoes to someone who needs them. They also accept clothes, stationery, toys, bags, books and furniture in good condition. You can schedule a pick-up for a small fee through their website; no quantity is too small or too large.
Ten Feet Tall Shoes
This group runs shoe drives at specific times of the year through its partner schools. You can donate gently worn shoes of any style, type and size during these drives. All collected shoes go into micro-enterprise programmes in developing countries around the world. Reach out to hello@tenfeettallshoes.com to keep updated on the next drive.
# Food drops in Singapore
Food Bank Singapore
Do you have unwanted food items lying around the house but you’re unsure how to dispose of them? Donate them to the Food Bank! All kinds of non-perishable, unopened, unused food items are accepted (provided they have at least five weeks of shelf life) at collection points all around Singapore.
Food From The Heart
This organisation focuses on redistributing food items like unsold bread from bakeries. If you have a spare hour on weekdays, look into contributing your time to do bread runs, or peruse the other volunteering opportunities on the website.
Ronald McDonald House Charities Singapore
Located at the National University Hospital, the purpose of RMHC Singapore is to provide families with hospitalised children a place to stay. This allows them to focus on the health of their children without worrying about food or shelter. Donations of food items as well as stationery, kitchen and bath necessities, and bedding essentials are accepted.
Society for the Aged Sick
This not-for-profit nursing home aims to provide quality care to the aged sick and destitute, allowing them to lead a meaningful and enriching life. It accepts food donations in addition to birthday cakes for their monthly mass birthday celebrations.
enquiry@societyagedsick.org.sg | societyagedsick.org.sg
Willing Hearts
Willing Hearts is a volunteer-run charity supporting the underprivileged and marginalised through a variety of essential services such as its soup kitchen, which provides approximately 10,000 nutritious meals daily to over 70 locations in Singapore. Check willinghearts.org.sg/donate for a recommended list of food items to donate.
willingheartsingapore@gmail.com | willinghearts.org.sg
# To donate second-hand maternity and baby products
Club Rainbow
Club Rainbow helps children with chronic illnesses and their families by providing services, hosting events and running a family resource centre. In-kind donations of products like adult and baby diapers and milk powder greatly help these families. contact@clubrainbow.org | clubrainbow.org
Cradlebless
This initiative is by Cradlenest, an online parenting resource that redistributes gently-used baby items to families who need them. If you have baby items such as clothes, bath accessories, cots, play pens, UV steriliser and strollers in good condition to donate, reach out via tinyurl.com/CradleBless or IG @cradlenestsg. cradlenest.sg
# Pet supplies
Action for Singapore Dogs
If you have extra dog supplies like food and medication, and you’d love to help stray and fostered dogs, donate them to ASD. Just send an email to enquire.
info@asdsingapore.com | asdsingapore.com/donate
Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter (OSCAS)
OSCAS partners with online pet supply retailers to offer free delivery on all donation orders to the shelter. Contact them before donating items.
animalwelfare@oscas.sg | oscas.sg
Save Our Street Dogs
SoSD is a volunteer group dedicated to advocating for stray dogs. In order to help with its shelter upkeep, it accepts in-kind donations of dog food and supplies, as well as household and administrative items. Check sosd.org.sg/things-we-need then make an appointment to visit (#01-42, Block T, 59 Sungei Tengah Road).
info@sosd.org.sg | sosd.org.sg
# Second-hand books
Books Beyond Borders
This social enterprise generates funds from the sale of second-hand books in Singapore. It uses all profits, as well as community donations, to help improve access to education for girls in some of the most rural parts of Nepal. If you have English-language books in good condition (check booksbeyondborders.org/pages/givebooks for some guidelines around what is accepted), you can drop them off at 33 Erskine Road, #01-08, from 11am to 8pm daily. If you have over 20 books in excellent condition, a pick-up can be arranged. Contact hello@booksbeyondborders.org for more information or use the Live Chat feature.
Dignity Mama Stall
Drop off any unwanted books – children’s storybooks and comics, adult fiction and nonfiction, magazines – at one of the three Dignity Mama Stall drop-off locations: National University Hospital, Ng Teng Fong Hospital and Project Dignity office. They’ll then be sorted and sold as pre-loved books at super reasonable prices.
projectdignity.sg/dignity-mama
Thyrft
Got preloved English-language books and vinyl records that no longer spark joy? Give them new life by bringing them to Thryft. In return, you’ll receive Thryft Credits that can be used on any product in their online store.
support@thryft.asia | thryft.asia/pages/trade-in-or-donate
School Kaki
Take a look at this Facebook group if you have any used textbooks, assessment books or uniforms to donate.
facebook.com/groups/schoolkaki
# Miscellaneous items
ItsRainingRaincoats
This Singapore charity works to improve the lives and welfare of migrant workers in Singapore through a few initiatives. One is a bicycle programme, where it collects preloved or abandoned bicycles to repair and distribute among the workers. You can also donate essential and bulky items that are clean and in full working condition, including toiletries, luggage, bags, kitchen appliances, umbrellas, laptops, sunglasses and gym equipment. A full list of items that are highly requested is available on the website.
Visio Optical
Donate your old or new reading glasses, distance glasses and sunglasses to Visio Optical and they’ll be distributed to people who need glasses but don’t have the financial ability to afford a pair. Glasses must be in usable condition.
43 Holland Drive, #01-67 | visiooptical.com
Embassy of the Philippines
The Philippines is unfortunately more prone to natural disasters than many countries, often leaving its people in desperate situations in the aftermath. The country’s embassy in Singapore (20 Nassim Road) accepts donations, not only of food and medicine, but also books, machinery and other consumer goods.
philippine-embassy.org.sg/traveladvisories/donations
Marymount Centre
Marymount Centre reaches out to vulnerable women and children in Singapore through its children’s homes, crisis shelter and student care programmes. Drop them an email or give them a call if you’re planning an in-kind donation.
admin@marymountctr.org.sg | marymountctr.org.sg
Recyclopedia
Recyclopedia is a Singapore-based grassroots initiative that helps you find out what you can do with unwanted items. Join facebook.com/groups/ZeroWasteJourneySg for tips on recycling better and discussions with like-minded people.
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