Any use for a school's worth of second hand uniform?

[DownWithTrump]

Our prep school is closing. There is therefore a whole school's worth of second hand uniform with no use. Are there any charities that would find such a bulk donation valuable?

If every bit of clothing has the school's name/logo on it so it's no good to anyone, some places take clothes and pay by the weight so the money could be donated that way?

I'm not sure what they do with the clothes but they don't even have to be in good condition.

Thank you. Most is not branded.

I know that anything with a badge / logo doesn't usually have any value in the second hand recycling market.
Plain items could be donated though.

Nobody will take branded school uniforms, not even those companies that pay per KG for clothes. It’s such a waste

And none has the school's name on. Just seems such a waste for it not to have another life!

https://www.tasisengland.org/about/news/post/~board/school-news/post/tasis-community-supports-african-charities#:~:text=TASIS%20England%20puts%20its%20second,donating%20them%20to%20African%20schools.

Could they be donated to children abroad?

Oh well then I expect the parents or school will give them to charity?

What colour is it? I live in a very poor area and I’m the chair of the PTFA depending on the colour we might have it, as long as it’s not branded.

https://www.developafrica.org/donate-school-supplies

If if doesn't have a logo then you could drop it off at local textile banks or the tip for recycling. Might take a lot of trips around town though!
Alternatively if you have a textile recycling company you might be able to take it directly to them.

Thank you for some ideas!

Yes, at a school that I taught at the uniform was changed. The uniform shop and parents donated the old uniform and it all went to a school in Africa even the branded items. I’m sure a Google search would turn up a result.

Www.developafrica.org are looking for school supplies, uniform etc.

When my DDs school closed all the surplus uniform went to Fiji (an orphanage I believe).

We have a local charity that sells used school uniform and kids coats items very cheaply (non logo and logo Ed)

Some fabulous ideas here, thank you. Great to make something positive out of a v sad situation

Kirklees Uniform Exchange redistributes donated school uniform across Kirklees. Plain coloured shirts, trousers, jumpers etc as well as sports kit, football boots, leotards etc are always gratefully received. I wonder if there is something similar near you?

Hello, there's a school uniform bank in Edinburgh, operates a bit like a foodbank (people on low incomes get referred). I'll get their contact details, they'd really appreciate this 😊

Are all the items very distinctive, or are there some generic items within the uniform?
If there are generic items (ie grey or navy or black plus plain shirts) then a school with 40% free school meals would love them for sure. It might actually be something any school would like, for environmental sustainability reasons alone .
(Each type of item packed up by size, so they can be distributed without an overwhelming work load to make it happen)
work out which schools “locally” to you have uniforms that relate. My kids attend a school that wears navy with pale blue or white shirts. And the school already has a strong second hand distribution system.
It’s the sustainable thing to do.
If we were given a bulk amount of uniform we would be able to organise and distribute it effectively .

I think finding a local school or at least UK based school to make use of it would be the most environmentally sustainable option.

however more niche items (heavy braiding and embroidery etc) won’t be suitable for reuse in this way because they will be too distinctive and unlikely to fit in with the rest of the school uniform.

I wonder if alternatively the whole school uniform could be adopted by a school in a different country.
But I imagine that the climate differences would affect which countries would find it suitable.

but here are some examples of where this has been done. https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/dress-4-success/#:~:text=Challenge-,A%20problem%20in%20South%20Africa%20is%20that%20children%2C%20whose%20parents,poverty%20or%20socio%2Deconomic%20circumstances.

https://citacademies.co.uk/poplar-farm-school-donates-uniforms-to-develop-africa-charity/

https://www.africangirlshope.org/uniforms-shoes

another idea -if it is a school
with traditional felt blazers and braids and embroidery, - is contacting a film/theatre costume department.
and seeing if it would be useful for a production?
i have no idea. But if you DM me with a picture I have contacts within that sphere.

Here's the info on the Edinburgh school uniform bank. Branded items won't work but unbranded would be great. Sorry about your school x

I just googled bulk uniform donation and there are quite a few schemes. One is a soft play centre in Yorkshire called Wacky Warehouse, another is The Uniform Project and one called Newlife charity. I think you could easily find someone who would want these items.

Oops! Here's the link:

edinburghuniform.org

Try a theatrical costumiers?

I think our food bank operates a free uniform scheme so might be worth asking