July 21, 2023
Give Clothing a Second Chance
Involve family and friends
When you’ve lost someone and you have the task of sorting through their wardrobe, it can be difficult to know where to start. There is nothing wrong with asking someone for assistance with this, and with the support of family and friends an insurmountable task can suddenly seem not quite so overwhelming.
When you are sorting through clothing, have you considered inviting your friends and family to come around to pick out an item or two they would like to keep? Not only can this be a way for family and friends to connect during a tough time, but it also gives everyone a chance to keep something special to remember their loved ones.
One of the Go With Grace team lost a grandparent earlier this year. After the farewell when everyone gathered at the family home, they laid out his clothes and invited everyone in the family to take something. A teenage cousin took a flannel shirt and now wears it to her university classes. Our team member took home a brown wool jumper which she wears as part of her weekend ‘comfy clothes’. Most of his clothing is now being worn and loved by his family.
Donating or selling to second-hand stores
Once loved ones have had an opportunity to take a piece of clothing, there are plenty of options for what to do with the rest of their wardrobe.
It’s estimated that every year Kiwis send up to 200 thousand tonnes of fabric waste to landfills. Donating or recycling clothing can be a wonderful way to minimise this!
You can give your loved ones’ clothing a second life by donating items to a second-hand store or vintage reseller. This is an excellent way to honour someone’s memory if being mindful of the environment is important to them.
New Zealand organisations that accept donations, or buy second-hand clothing, jewellery and accessories in good condition include:
- Dress for Success
- Red Cross
- Salvation Army
- Paper Bag Princess
- Recycle Boutique
- Vintage clothing resellers such as Painted Bird Vintage or Halcyon Days
- Designer Wardrobe NZ
Keep in mind when you donate, most people working in these places are volunteers and appreciate when clothing is washed before being donated.
Recycling clothing
If you have clothing that isn’t in great condition, you don’t have to take it to a landfill. Several organisations take used clothing to recycle the fabrics. Some of these organisations in New Zealand are:
Handy tip: Make sure to check the website to see what items they accept. For example, Little Yellow Bird won’t accept synthetic materials, but they do accept wool, cotton and silk.
It can be comforting to know that someone else will have the chance to appreciate the clothing of a loved one. And not only that, you will be helping the environment at the same time.
Share your story
If you’ve had to sort through the wardrobe of a lost loved one and you would like to share how you did this, we would love to hear your story. By sharing your story and your own journey with grief, you help others who are going through the same experiences. Write to us at hello@gowithgrace.nz.
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Children's clothing
You may want to keep a piece of clothing as a keepsake or to form part of a memory box. You may not be ready to part with anything for a long time. That is okay.
Some people find it gives them a sense of comfort that the clothing is going to another child who will find joy in it. Ripple Movement provides clothing to Kiwi kids living in hardship and does this by diverting textile waste from landfills to reuse, repurpose or recycle it.