What Happens with Your Donated Items?

Did you know that it takes 2,000 gallons of water to produce a single pair of new jeans and 1,000 gallons for a new T-shirt?

By donating and shopping at Goodwill, you reverse the impact of fast fashion by extending the life cycle of pre-loved items, plus you help keep Minnesota green.

We accept thousands of items, which helps us divert over 65 million pounds from landfills annually. Our donation process is easy, convenient and supports our mission to eliminate barriers to work and independence. Each year, we process over 75 million pounds of donations and find a use for these items through our robust reuse and recycle operations.

The Cycle of a Donated Item at Goodwill:

1. After being sorted, donated items are sold at neighborhood Goodwill stores.
2. Items that don’t sell in traditional stores are made available at Goodwill outlet and wholesale stores, where items are sold by the pound. Check out these outlet shopping tips.
3. When items don’t find a home through this process, the journey continues through our salvage and aftermarket operations. We work with numerous partners, both domestically and internationally, to resell and recycle items.

But what about a shirt with a stain or a hole in it? Or a non-working electronic?

Yes, donate it! We work hard to steward your donations to keep as much materials as possible out of Minnesota landfills.

“When in doubt, donate,” says Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota (GESMN) Manager of Donation Services, Alan. “Even if your electronics don’t work, all those electronics can be recycled down. The cord that plugs into the wall has copper in it that we can strip off separately from the recycled electronics.” He said conditionally flawed or extremely worn clothing can be recycled into rags and stuffing by many of Goodwill’s global network of aftermarket partners.

What’s more, donations and purchases at Goodwill stores, outlets, wholesale, E-commerce and salvage help support GESMN’s nearly 20 services that serve over 5,500 people annually in our community.

Feel confident and proud that you waste less and get more at Goodwill. We have thousands of unique items added daily, from clothing to unique furniture and collectibles to help people shop sustainably. Find a location near you. Find more sustainability tips here.