#NationalUnderwearDay – Where to donate old bras

We only found out that apparently it’s #NationalUnderwearDay just a couple of hours ago – woops, brilliant lingerie bloggers we are! We’re sure there’ll be plenty of things out there today about favourite pieces of underwear, where to buy, promotions, sales and discounts, and the majority of the focus seems to be on body image too, but we thought we’d add our voice from a slightly different angle: where to donate your old bras and underwear.

It’s a sad fact that not everyone around the world has easy access to underwear – there are many girls and women throughout the world who may want or need a bra, but not have the capabilities to be able to get one, whether it’s through lack of availability, funds or something else. Can you imagine not having access to underwear when you need it? Or only have one pair of knickers that you can wear day in, day out?

Fortunately there are plenty of initiatives out there to help people get underwear to wear it’s wanted or needed. Being lingerie bloggers, you can imagine we often have an excess of underwear, so it’s great for us to know that there are places we can send it or drop it off and know that it will be well used rather than thrown into a landfill. For example, last year my Brownie pack collected bras from their mothers, friends and relatives, along with several other local guiding units, to be sent off. (Yes, there were a few giggles and nervous looks when the word “bra” was mentioned, can you imagine if they knew about this blog?!).

At the moment, this will probably be a fairly limited post as we don’t know of every initiative out there, but it would be AMAZING if you could share with us any that you know of so we can add them to the blog post too. Obviously our suggestions will be mostly UK based as that’s what we know, but we have readers from all around the world who I’m sure will be just as interested in donating their bras and other underwear to worthy causes, so please submit any useful initiatives worldwide so we can add them to the list.

UK BASED

BreastTalk.co.uk Bra Appeal

This initiative is UK based and also raises money for Breast Cancer research while donating bras: for every 1 kilo of bras collected, BCR Textiles will donate £1. Bras can be donated in any style or size, used ones are fine, but the straps and clasps must be working and they must be washed before sending. Bras should be sent to this address:
BreastTalk.co.uk – Bra Appeal
PO Box 71
Craven Arms
Shropshire
SY7 0WZ
You can find more info on BreastTalk.co.uk Bra Appeal here.

Smalls For All

Smalls For All was started after Maria Macnamara volunteered at orphanages where girls and women often didn’t have access to underwear, or if they did, it might only be a single pair. For poor communities, this can cause health and hygiene issues, and underwear is also seen as a status symbol that allows a decree of security for girls and women. They are a UK based initiative to which you can buy and send packs of girls’ underwear (ages 3 to 15) and women’s (sizes 8-16), as well as new or gently used bras. Donations can be sent to this address:
Smalls For All
108 Buchanan Crescent,
Eliburn, Livingston, EH54 7EF
You can find more info on Smalls For All here.

Bravissimo

For those in the UK who live near a Bravissimo store, they support Mind charity by placing bra recycling bins in all their stores. For every kilo of bras collected, they will donate £1 to Mind. Bras can be donated in any condition. Those in usable condition will go to developing countries around the world; those that are not usable will be broken down so the parts can be reused.
You can see Bravissimo’s list of stores here where you will find bra recycling bins.

Against Breast Cancer

Against Breast Cancer have also teamed up with BCR Textiles who help small businesses across Africa to collect bras. They will receive £1 per kilo of bras for Cancer Research. They encourage people to set up bra banks (maybe at your place of work) or to donate to local ones (you can find your nearest one at the bottom of this page). Bras in any condition are accepted, and those that are no longer usable will be dismantled, reused and disposed of properly. They can be sent to this address:
Recycling Scheme
Against Breast Cancer
Leathem House
13 Napier Court
Barton Lane
Abingdon, OXON
OX14 3YT
You can find more info on Against Breast Cancer here.

US BASED

Free The Girls

This is a US based initiative which aims to rescue women from human trafficking around the world by providing them with goods to sell while they recover from their trauma. All sizes and styles of bra are accepted, both new and gently used. They have currently collected over 500,000 bras (wow!). Bras can be dropped off at any of the locations listed on this page (and that covers a good majority of the States, so hopefully there’s one somewhere nearby), or they can be sent to this address:
Free The Girls
1552 Pioneer Trail
Chesterton, IN  46304
You can find more info on Free The Girls here.

The Bra Recyclers

The Bra Recyclers operate in support of protecting women from domestic violence and human trafficking as well as aiming to reduce the amount of textiles heading to landfills. Lightly used bras must be washed before being donated. They can be dropped off at a number of locations throughout the US, Puerto Rico and Canada (find your nearest point here) or can be sent to the following address:
The Bra Recyclers
3317 S. HIgley Rd, Ste 114-441
Gilbert, AZ 85297
You can find more info on The Bra Recyclers here.

Soma

Similar to Bravissimo in the UK, Soma will collect bras in store from customers who no longer want them in support of domestic violence as women will arrive at shelters with only the bra they are wearing. They also allow you to send bras if you don’t live near a Soma boutique to the following address:
Soma Bra Donation Bra Recyclers
3317 S. Higley Rd., Suite 114-441
Gilbert, AZ 85297
You can find more info on Soma collections and their stores here.

WORLDWIDE

Uplift Project

The Uplift Project collects bras from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa. They donate to areas where women have little access to bras, particularly in the sizes they need. They also focus on mastectomy bras and breast forms too.
You can find more info on the Uplift Project and a full list of drop off points and delivery addresses here.

Charity Shops

If you have a local charity shop you’d like to support, check whether they are able to accept bras or underwear (as some aren’t able to, and donating them may make more hassle for them). I know that u/xuenylom on A Bra That Fits has been stocking bras in the charity shop she works for in a huge range of sizes, so if you’re able to help her out, she would appreciate it! Or alternatively, if you volunteer at a charity shop, maybe suggest this is something you can start.

r/RandomActsofBras

The Reddit group Random Acts of Bras is great way to get rid of your old bras that no longer fit or you don’t want any more. Tied to r/ABraThatFits, users on there are normally people who can’t afford bras in their newly found size or would like to try out some bras in their size before committing to buying.
You can find r/RandomActsofBras here.