clothes · Ontario

Where to donate clothes and textiles in Hamilton

6 organizations in and around Hamilton that take donated clothes — what each one accepts, what it turns away, and which will come and collect it.

Verified 2026-09-24 from each organization's own website. We are not affiliated with anyone listed here, nobody pays to be included, and we receive nothing if you donate to them.

How to tell what you have got

Before you call anyone, two minutes with the object settles most of it. None of this needs an expert — it needs a flashlight and a look at the back.

  • Teen and young-adult mall brands from the last 12 to 18 monthsIt buys all seasons year-round, takes walk-ins with no appointment, and requires items freshly laundered and free of odours. Sizes are adult only and the ranges are set per store: the London page gives girls 0 to 30 and up to 6X and guys XS to 4X and 28 to 44 inch waist, while the chain's national sell-to-us page gives girls 0 to 6X and guys 28 to 3X. Check your own store's page rather than assuming. No kids or youth sizes anywhere.
  • Premium outerwear and technical kit in near-new conditionBring it in June, not in October. VSP publishes its calendar: "Spring-Summer intake begins in December and Fall-Winter intake begins in June." By the time the weather turns, a shop is already full of parkas and will decline yours whatever the label.
  • Unworn items with the original tags still onKeep them separate and still tagged. Do not launder them or remove the tags to make them look tidy.

What this list turns away

Counted from what each place says on its own site, not from what is generally true. Most refusals are about condition and completeness rather than category.

  • 4 of 6 will not take anything damaged or stainedDrop 'n' Shop Thrift Store (Community Living Hamilton), Good Shepherd Centres, Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes, Talize
  • 3 of 6 will not take mattresses and box springsDrop 'n' Shop Thrift Store (Community Living Hamilton), Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes, Talize
  • 3 of 6 will not take large appliancesDrop 'n' Shop Thrift Store (Community Living Hamilton), Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes, Talize
  • 3 of 6 will not take hazardous materialDrop 'n' Shop Thrift Store (Community Living Hamilton), Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes, Talize
  • 2 of 6 will not take car seats and cribsDrop 'n' Shop Thrift Store (Community Living Hamilton), Talize

Rarely worth anything

Not a rule, and not a reason to bin something without asking. These are the things people most often expect to be worth money and find are not.

  • Mid-market and fast-fashion labels, at a luxury consignor
  • Clothing with stains, balling, repairs or odours
  • Household linens in bulk: towels, sheets, duvet covers, curtains
  • Single socks, single shoes, rags and fabric scraps
  • Underwear and worn-out basics
  • The whole-house pile, taken as a pile
Second-hand textiles are exempt from federal fibre-content labelling if labelled as second-hand Federal (Textile Labelling and Advertising Regulations, C.R.C., c. 1551, s. 9, under the Textile Labelling Act)

Section 9: "A prescribed consumer textile article that is clearly identified by means of a label as a second-hand article is exempt from the application of section 3 of the Act." The regulations do not define "second-hand", and the exemption is conditional on the article carrying that label. Relevant if you are reselling a quantity of clothing as a business rather than giving it away.

Read the rule →

6 places in Hamilton that take clothes

Drop 'n' Shop Thrift Store (Community Living Hamilton)

Not stated - ask them
TakesClothing, shoes and accessories, Kitchenware, Books, DVDs and CDs, Cameras, Toys and games, Sporting goods
Won't takeLarge furniture, Major appliances, Mattresses, Computers and phones, VHS tapes, Propane tanks, Paint, Car seats and cribs, Helmets, Dirty or broken items
CollectionNo pickup service is mentioned on their site. Drop-off only.
Where37 Kilbride Rd, Hamilton, ON L8W 3P2
Visit their site →905-385-3434

Good Shepherd Centres

Not stated - ask them
TakesNon-perishable food items, Lightly used and clean seasonal clothing and footwear, New socks and undergarments, Bedding and linens, Small appliances and electronics (less than 5 years old), Dishes and cookware, Toiletries and personal care items
Won't takeLarge furniture (unless pre-approved), Knives, scissors and razor blades, Used undergarments, Soiled clothing and linens, Used baby equipment, Sporting equipment, Used toys, Books, Leftover yard sale items
CollectionNo pickup service is described. Two rules matter before you load the car: there is a two-bag limit on clothing donations, and "Furniture donations must be pre-approved before drop-off" — arrange that first on the number below.
Where155 Cannon Street East, Hamilton
Visit their site →905.972.9485 x2210

Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes

Not stated - ask them
TakesClothing and shoes, Household items, Books, Electronics, Small appliances, Furniture (small / under 50 lbs only)
Won't takeMattresses and boxsprings, Large furniture and heavy items over 50 lbs, Damaged furniture, Large appliances, Pianos, Swimming pools, Weapons, Food, Hazardous materials, Items that have been recalled or banned, or do not meet current safety standards
CollectionNo pickup service is described anywhere on their donation page — it describes taking donations to a Donation Centre, where "our Donation Attendant will be there to accept your donation."
WhereHamilton presence confirmed on their own About page, which names Hamilton among the regions they operate in. Their locator page states they operate "over 45 Donation Centres across Southern Ontario" but the interactive list does not render, so no Hamilton address could be read. Link to https://www.goodwillindustries.ca/donation-centre-locator/ and let readers search.
Visit their site →

St. Vincent de Paul Society — Hamilton Parkdale Store

Will collect, free
TakesSecond-hand / next-to-new household furnishings, Kitchenware, Clothing, Shoes, Toys, Baby clothes
Won't takeNo list of refused items is published on their site. Call the store before bringing large or unusual items.
CollectionFree pickup is stated on their own store page, with the service area given as "Hamilton (upper/lower), Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Aldershot, Burlington and Oakville." Book by phone.
Where200 Parkdale Avenue North at Britannia, Hamilton, ON
Visit their site →905-549-3902

Talize

Drop off only
TakesClothing, Fashion accessories, Shoes, Linens, Books, Toys, Housewares
Won't takeFurniture, Mattresses, Large appliances, Baby car seats, cribs and strollers, Helmets, Paint, Propane tanks, Very dirty, wet or broken items
CollectionStated plainly on their own donation page: "Talize unfortunately doesn't offer home pick-ups." Drop off bagged items at the store's Donation Centre.
WhereTheir own locations page lists 15 stores (13 in Ontario, 2 in BC) and Hamilton is one of them, but the Hamilton address and donation hours did not render. Link to https://talize.com/locations/ rather than publishing an address.
Visit their site →

Value Village (Hamilton — Fennell Avenue)

Not stated - ask them
TakesClothing & shoes, Backpacks & purses, Bed & bath, Housewares, Small appliances, Small furniture, Books & media, Games & toys, Electronics, Exercise & sporting goods
Won't takeNo list of refused items is published on the store page. Call ahead for anything large or unusual.
CollectionNo pickup service is described. Donations are handed in at the Community Donation Centre at the store, open Mon–Sat 9:00am–9:00pm and Sun 9:00am–7:00pm.
Where530 Fennell Avenue East, Hamilton, ON L8V 1S9
A for-profit retailer, not a charity. It pays a nonprofit partner for donated goods — the partner differs by store, so ask at the door if that matters to you.
Visit their site →(905) 318-0409

Not sure what you have got?

Photograph it and we will tell you what it is and what it is worth — including when the honest answer is that it is worth nothing.

See what it's worth Sell it instead → Everything in Hamilton →

Other things in Hamilton

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Clothes in other cities

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