clothes · Ontario

Where to donate clothes and textiles in Ottawa

6 organizations in and around Ottawa 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 6 will not take large appliancesDiabetes Canada — Declutter (Diabetes Clothesline), Matthew House Ottawa — Furniture Bank, The Salvation Army Thrift Store / Donor Welcome Centre
  • 2 of 6 will not take hazardous materialDiabetes Canada — Declutter (Diabetes Clothesline), The Salvation Army Thrift Store / Donor Welcome Centre
  • 2 of 6 will not take car seats and cribsDiabetes Canada — Declutter (Diabetes Clothesline), The Salvation Army Thrift Store / Donor Welcome Centre
  • 2 of 6 will not take anything damaged or stainedDress for Success Ottawa National Capital Region, Matthew House Ottawa — Furniture Bank

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 Ottawa that take clothes

Comptoir Saint-Vincent de Paul de Hull

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesNew and used clothing for babies, children and adults, Furniture, Mattresses, Refrigerators and stoves, Working electrical appliances
CollectionThe main option on the Quebec side, and one of the few places anywhere in the region that takes furniture, mattresses and large appliances together. Their trucks collect donated items in good condition in the Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau sectors — phone 819-776-1068 to arrange. No fee is stated for donation pickup; delivery of items you buy is offered at reasonable cost. Site is in French.
Where102 rue Eddy, Gatineau (secteur Hull), QC
Visit their site →819-776-1068

Diabetes Canada — Declutter (Diabetes Clothesline)

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesClothing, shoes, accessories and bags, Household textiles including bedding, Small electronics — cell phones, laptops, tablets, cameras, gaming consoles, Kitchen and household items — cookware, tableware, small appliances, Books
Won't takeAll furniture, Beds and bedding parts, Large appliances, Televisions and computer monitors, Construction materials, Exercise equipment, Flammable products and hazardous materials, Infant products, Automobile parts, Marine vessels, Loose items not packed in sealed bags or boxes
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.
WhereHome pickup, booked by address through their site.
Visit their site →1-800-505-5525

Dress for Success Ottawa National Capital Region

Drop off only
TakesSuits and separates that are modern and in interview-ready condition, Gently used, clean, business-appropriate shoes, Purses and jewellery, New undergarments, socks and hosiery, tags on and in unopened packaging, Unopened toiletries and cosmetics
Won't takeClothing that is pilled, discoloured, torn, missing buttons, stained or dirty, Undergarments, socks or hosiery that have been worn or are without tags or packaging, Children's clothing, Menswear (unisex items are accepted)
Collection"We are unable to pick up donations." Drop off at the boutique: Monday 9:30 am-7:30 pm, using the mall entrance between 5:00 and 7:30 pm, and Tuesday to Friday 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Large donations need an appointment and are only accepted Wednesdays noon-4:30 pm and during business hours Thursdays and Fridays — call 613-761-1161 or email boutique@dressforsuccessottawa.ca first.
Where1620 Scott St., Suite P100, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4S7
Visit their site →613-761-1161

Matthew House Ottawa — Furniture Bank

Not stated - ask them
TakesBeds in all sizes except king, dressers, mirrors, night tables, Couches, chairs, lamps, tables, dining chairs, Desks, TVs, computers, microwaves, Dishes, cookware and kitchen items, Bathroom textiles
Won't takeAnything over 4' wide x 2' deep x 6' high, Worn or damaged furniture, including rips, tears and stains, Mouldy items, Baby products, Major appliances, Books, Clothing, Bicycles
CollectionTheir donation page lists a separate pickup phone number, 1-613-423-2454, so a pickup route exists — but the site does not publish the price, the zones or the schedule anywhere I could reach, so call before you count on it. Drop-off is possible and must be arranged first: call 613-591-6681 ext. 2511 or email furnituredonations@matthewhouseottawa.org.
WhereUnit 1B, 700 Industrial Avenue, Ottawa, ON
Visit their site →613-591-6681 ext. 2511

The Salvation Army Thrift Store / Donor Welcome Centre

Drop off only
TakesClothing and footwear, Linens, Housewares and small appliances, Antiques and accessories, Books and media, Computers and electronics, Toys, Valuables such as fine jewellery
Won't takeFurniture, Beds, mattresses and box springs, Large appliances, Infant equipment, Construction materials, Automobile parts and tires, Paint, flammable and hazardous materials, Pianos
CollectionThey state it flatly: "We are unable to offer donation pick-up services." Everything has to be brought to a store or Donor Welcome Centre. The other thing people get wrong about the Salvation Army in Canada — furniture is on the cannot-accept list outright, so a sofa is not an option here at all.
WhereThe chain's own page cites over 120 locations across Canada without breaking out a count for Ottawa. Use their finder at https://thriftstore.ca/locations, which searches by city or postal code.
Visit their site →1-855-984-8378

Value Village

Drop off only
TakesClothing and shoes, Backpacks and purses, Bed and bath items, Books and media, Games and toys, Housewares, Small appliances, Small furniture, Electronics, Exercise and sporting goods
CollectionDrop-off only, at the Community Donation Centre attached to each store; no pickup service is mentioned. Value Village is a for-profit thrift retailer that pays a nonprofit partner for the goods you drop off, and the partner differs by location — the South Ottawa store at 1824 Bank St supports Diabetes Canada, per its own store page. Check the store page for the location nearest you before assuming which cause your donation funds.
WhereMultiple Ottawa stores; their own store locator at valuevillage.com gives each store's address, hours and nonprofit partner. The South Ottawa store (1824 Bank St, 613-526-5551) runs Mon-Sat 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. and Sun 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
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 →

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 Ottawa →

Other things in Ottawa

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Clothes in other cities

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