clothes · Ontario

Where to donate clothes and textiles in Kitchener–Waterloo

7 organizations in and around Kitchener–Waterloo 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.

  • 3 of 7 will not take mattresses and box springsGoodwill, Ontario Great Lakes, MCC Picks Up, The Salvation Army Thrift Store
  • 3 of 7 will not take hazardous materialGoodwill, Ontario Great Lakes, MCC Thrift on Kent, The Salvation Army Thrift Store
  • 2 of 7 will not take car seats and cribsMCC Picks Up, The Salvation Army Thrift Store
  • 2 of 7 will not take anything damaged or stainedCFUW Kitchener-Waterloo Annual Used Book Sale, MCC Picks Up

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 →

7 places in Kitchener–Waterloo that take clothes

CFUW Kitchener-Waterloo Annual Used Book Sale

Drop off only
TakesHard and soft cover books for adults, youth and children, Coffee table books, cookbooks and crafting books, Anime, manga and comic books, Pre-recorded CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays, Audiobooks on CD or DVD, Sheet music and vinyl records, Jigsaw puzzles with no missing pieces, Large print editions
Won't takeDamaged materials, Library discards, Textbooks, Magazines and periodicals, Cassettes, VHS and Beta tapes, Encyclopedias, dictionaries and reference materials, Maps and atlases, Reader's Digest condensed novels, Outdated travel, business, computer and tax guides
CollectionDrop-off only, during the advertised donation window before the sale. No home collection is offered.
WhereA once-a-year volunteer-run sale, NOT a permanent drop-off point. Held at First United Church, 16 William St. W at King St. S in Uptown Waterloo. Their site currently advertises the sale for Friday April 16, 2027 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday April 17, 2027 9 a.m.-1 p.m., with donation drop-off on Wednesday April 14, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Thursday April 15, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Confirm on their site before loading the car. Contact office@cfuwkw.org.
Visit their site →

Diabetes Canada (Declutter for Diabetes)

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesGently used clothing, Household items
CollectionFree home collection, but only when they have a scheduled run in your area — enter your postal code on their site to check. Items must be in sealed bags or boxes under 40 lb and left on the doorstep; loose items are not collected.
WhereA national bin-and-pickup program rather than a store. Use the bin finder on declutterfordiabetes.ca for local drop-off points; no bin count is published on either page. The 1-800-505-5525 number is on the declutterfordiabetes.ca pickup page; diabetes.ca lists 1.800.226.8464 as its general information and support line.
Visit their site →1-800-505-5525

Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes

Not stated - ask them
TakesClothing, outerwear, shoes and accessories, Books and media, Computers, laptops and printers, Housewares and linens, Small furniture under 50 lbs, Games and toys, Phones and small electronics
Won't takeMattresses and box springs, Large furniture and any item over 50 lbs, Hazardous, recalled or banned items, or items that do not meet current safety standards, Food, Paint and chemicals, Pianos, Swimming pools, Weapons
CollectionNo home pickup service is mentioned anywhere on their donation page. Treat this as drop-off only unless you confirm otherwise with a local donation centre.
WhereTheir locator page states that "Goodwill, Ontario Great Lakes operates over 45 Donation Centres across Southern Ontario." Use the locator at goodwillindustries.ca/donation-centre-locator/ to find the nearest one - the locator is loaded by script and publishes no fetchable address list, so no specific Kitchener-Waterloo address could be confirmed from their own site.
Visit their site →

MCC Picks Up

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesQuality used household items and clothing, suitable for resale at MCC Thrift Shops
Won't takeFurniture - the service no longer picks up furniture, Anything over 50 pounds per container, Mattresses and box springs, Items on Health Canada's restricted list, including car seats, helmets and recalled items, Items with excessive pet hair or that smell of smoke, Damaged items needing repair, or items that are ripped or stained
CollectionHome pickup of household goods, booked online. Their FAQ states they are "currently operating MCC Picks Up within the Region of Waterloo and some outlier communities" and invites suggestions for expansion by email. The FAQ does NOT state whether the pickup is free - confirm when booking. Nothing may exceed 50 lb per container, and furniture is excluded.
WhereA pickup service, not a storefront - donations go to MCC Thrift Shops in the region. Email mccpicksup@mcco.ca. The 226-220-0088 number is published on the MCC Thrift on Kent donation page (mccthriftontario.com/kent/donate/), not on the mccpicksup.com FAQ itself.
Visit their site →226-220-0088

MCC Thrift on Kent

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesQuality clothing, Quality household items
Won't takeRenovation materials, Helmets, Hangers and binders, Blinds, Hazardous materials, Baby items
CollectionHousehold items only, via MCC Picks Up (mccpicksup.com or 226-220-0088), which "offers household item pickup throughout the Waterloo region." The page states: "Please note that we no longer pick up furniture." The page also carries a furniture pick-up section, but the contact details in it are the New Hamburg shop's ((519) 662-2867, nhthrift@mcco.ca) - it appears to be shared template content, so phone the Kent store first to ask whether furniture collection applies to this location.
Where50 Kent Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 3R1
Visit their site →519-886-6226

The Salvation Army Thrift Store

Drop off only
TakesAccessories, Antiques and collectibles, Books and media, Clothing and linens, Computers and electronics, Footwear, Housewares and small appliances, Toys, Valuables
Won't takeFurniture, Beds, mattresses and box springs, Large appliances, Construction materials, Automobile parts and tires, Infant equipment, Paint and hazardous materials, Pianos
Collection"We are unable to offer donation pick-up services." Everything must be dropped off in person at a Donor Welcome Centre.
WhereTheir page states they operate over 120 locations across Canada with Donor Welcome Centres for drop-offs. Use the store finder on thriftstore.ca to confirm the nearest location and its donation hours - no Kitchener-Waterloo address is published on the national donations page. Charitable tax receipts are issued for valuables with a fair market value over $500.
Visit their site →

Worth A Second Look Furniture and Housewares (The Working Centre)

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesFurniture and small appliances, Housewares, Jewelry, Electronics, Linens, Mattresses and beds, Books, Toys, Tools
Collection"If you have a large number of items and are not able to bring them to the store, please send us a photo and description of the items and we may be able to come pick them up." No fee is stated. Email wasl@theworkingcentre.org or phone the store.
Where37 Market Lane, Kitchener
Visit their site →519-569-7566

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 Kitchener–Waterloo →

Other things in Kitchener–Waterloo

furniture7 placesappliances4 placeselectronics6 placeskitchenware6 placestools3 placesbooks5 placestoys4 places

Clothes in other cities

Calgary6 placesEdmonton7 placesHalifax7 placesHamilton6 placesLondon5 placesMontréal8 placesOttawa6 placesQuébec City9 placesSaskatoon8 placesToronto6 placesVancouver10 placesVictoria5 placesWinnipeg8 places