How can I donate my used bras?

[user1958493]

I have so many nice bras (and knickers to match but I'm sure no one wants them) from before I had my kids. Lots of them were only worn once or twice. I can't keep them because they will never fit me again.

Is there a way of donating them to be worn rather than sold ? I have heard of charities who give them to women in Africa who cannot afford bras. As apparently it's a sign of wealth and these women are less likely to be raped if they are wearing a bra. I would really like to donate to this or a similar charity but I have looked online and can't find anything.

Would really appreciate any help , thank you.

Smalls For All is a brilliant charity that does just this

www.smallsforall.org/

I believe you can donate bras at Bravissimo shops

Interesting blog post to read when considering donating to smalls for all:

aidnography.blogspot.com/2019/07/dear-white-middle-class-british-women-dont-send-bras-to-africa.html?m=1

[quote MrsFionaCharming]Interesting blog post to read when considering donating to smalls for all:

aidnography.blogspot.com/2019/07/dear-white-middle-class-british-women-dont-send-bras-to-africa.html?m=1[/quote]
Would you mind just telling me if that is saying not use them? And if so please can anyone advise on where I could send them

Charity shops will take bras to sell.

I donate all my stuff to the salvation army.

Some night shelters will take women's underwear (and outerwear) because they get far too much for men and not enough for female homeless folk.

I think that blog post is a little unfair re smalls for all. See their own website - www.smallsforall.org/why-we-do-this/

Much better to donate to Smalls For All than chuck in landfill.
Personally I’d love some barely used bras and toiletries. It’s mean to accuse those trying to make a difference of White Saviourdom as I imagine these parcels are very welcome.

I use the donate bins at bravissimo. They donate per weight to mind, and I believe the bras are resold on so stay out of landfill

Olio has a non food section.

[quote MrsFionaCharming]Interesting blog post to read when considering donating to smalls for all:

aidnography.blogspot.com/2019/07/dear-white-middle-class-british-women-dont-send-bras-to-africa.html?m=1[/quote]
It was interesting, but this comment stood out:

One thing that strikes me right away is that Smalls for All seems to be run entirely run by a, shall we say: quite homogeneous group of volunteers

This is a Scottish charity, in Livingston, which is between Edinburgh and Glasgow. I am presuming the writer took the hump because the faces in the photographs of board and volunteers appear to be white.

Guess what? It is possible to have a diverse background and still be white! You can’t make assumptions simply by looking at people.

Here is what the 2011 census revealed about the Scottish population:

91.8% of people identified as ‘White: Scottish’ or ‘White: Other British'
4.2% of people identified as Polish, Irish, Gypsy/Traveller or ‘White: Other’

About 221,000 people identified as being part of a white minority ethnic group

The most common white minority ethnic groups were
61,000 people who identified as 'White: Polish'
54,000 people who identified as 'White: Irish'
29,000 people who identified as 'White: Other Western European'
4,000 people in Scotland identified as 'White: Gypsy/Traveller'

2.7% of Scotland's population identified as Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British. This was about 141,000 people

African Caribbean or Black groups made up just over 1% of Scotland’s population. More than 36,000 people identified as African, Caribbean or Black

So please, do not be put off supporting this charity, just because some man in Sweden deems that a Scottish group is “homogenous”, thus implying they are in some way racist/exclusionary. The main ethnic groups from outwith Scotland are not irrelevant just because they are white.

Would you mind just telling me if that is saying not use them? And if so please can anyone advise on where I could send them

This is what he says:

Anyway, from what I can see publicly, I would approach the organization with caution and definitely not send them more bras
And
good intentions are definitely not enough-so be critical with charitable organizations. Cash works well in many crisis situations!

Personally, I’d ignore him (see my previous post about his silly, snide remark about the homogeneous make up of the charity, which actually revealed his complete ignorance of the ethnic backgrounds of the Scottish populace - making him a less than credible source due to his bias)

I can see no reason not to support this charity if you want to.

Another explanation of why Smalls For All is a bit off as a concept:
www.kissmedeadly.co.uk/blogs/news/what-can-we-do-with-second-hand-bras-maybe-stop-pretending-they-are-miraculous
The crux of the argument is that a) There is little/no evidence that wearing a bra means you’re less likely to get raped in Africa, and b) By the time a man has discovered whether you’re wearing a bra or not, he’s probably not at a point where he’s going to stop raping you.

And environmentally, it probably is better to send them to landfill than to send them half way round the world.

Perhaps a homeless shelter or women’s refuge, or even charity shop, if they’re in good (immaculate) condition. Though personally, I would never want to wear second-hand underwear, so would rather throw away the old bras and buy new ones to donate.

Thank you all for your help.

Wanted to do a good deed but that seems impossible.

environmentally, it probably is better to send them to landfill than to send them half way round the world

can I point out the obvious that most of Africa is < 1/4 way around the world from GB.

I'm just checking where bras in my household were made...

1 x UK
1 x Vietnam
5 x China

If donating bras meant undermining local manufacturers I'd be willing to listen to that argument... but at moment, there aren't local manufacturers. There's a real lack of access to bras, in reality. If no bras are made in Africa, they'll be imported anyway. To the extent anyone could afford to buy brand new imported. From "half around the world". So ... I think it's fine to donate.

The anti-rape claim sounded weak to me, but not part of my decision-making, anyway

I read the title as brains!

As you were.

@user1958493 I recently donated some to the local refuge, many women flee domestic abuse with very few belongings, my daughter had some that she'd bought in the sale that didn't fit so still had labels on, they were very appreciative when I dropped them off.

Another option:
m.facebook.com/AfreeBra/

Zabra

Oxfam take bras.

@Darker

Another option: m.facebook.com/AfreeBra/

Zabra

That is exactly the type of thing I meant. Thank you, I am going to send them here

[quote alloutofcareunits]@user1958493 I recently donated some to the local refuge, many women flee domestic abuse with very few belongings, my daughter had some that she'd bought in the sale that didn't fit so still had labels on, they were very appreciative when I dropped them off. [/quote]
Thank you I will have a look to see if any are local to me

I've given bras to that Scottish charity. I don't understand that article at all- of course it wouldn't reduce rape? That's not why I am sending them. Madness.

There is an issue of sending clothes etc to other counties as it undermines local clothing companies who find it hard to compete against free stock.
But surely the lastest charity mentioned does this too?

But women's refuge is a good idea