Times are hard. Every time you open up the news you hear a story about another reason people are in need of a little help. Terrible weather, fluctuations in the economy, you name it. How can you do your part to help out your community and keep the environment clean during these difficult days? Donating clothing to charity is a great place to start. Your charitable clothing donations can be re-purposed into your economy by providing useful materials, for starters. They can also be put up for sale at affordable, local thrift shops. You can even save money on your tax return.
Sounding too good to be true? The top five facts below will implement a fantastic new habit before you know it. One that can help everyone down the road.
It’s Incredibly Easy To Donate Clothes
Let’s begin with the biggest reason people turn away from donating clothing to charity. When the week is busy enough with appointments, work and school it can be just too much to ask. Many charitable organizations offer charity pick up services that can take a little of that stress right off your shoulders. It’s as simple as packing up all the clothes you don’t want into a box, calling them up and giving them an address to take your unwanted articles off your hands.
The Environment Could Use Less Stress, Too
The United States is a fast-moving country. It produces millions of pounds of items on a yearly basis to support both nationwide and international industries. When it comes to mediating this cycle, however…things could be better. The average American will purchase 10 pounds of previously used clothing every year. Another study also saw Americans either recycling or donating 15% of their used clothing annually. When 12 million tons of good textiles are wasted during this same span, though, donation pickup can make a literal world of difference.
Nearly Everything Is Easy To Recycle
Just how flexible are clothes? Let’s take a look at some useful statistics. Studies have shown the average person will generate four pounds of trash per day. The vast majority of textiles, however, can be easily recycled and put back into the economy without a dip in quality. This includes cotton, spandex and latex, to name a few of the more common elements. If every American recycled a mere one-tenth of their newspapers, we could save 25 million trees every year.
You Can Save Money On Your Tax Return
Donating clothing to charity can even dip into your yearly taxes and help you out personally. This often comes as a surprise to many working Americans stressing over their taxes every time spring rolls around. Your charitable donation can be written off on your tax form and save you a little bit of money while you save your local economy some green. Just remember to write down the amount you gave and keep your receipt on-hand to provide the IRS proof of your donation. For those that need some perspective, a suit or overcoat can add up to an impressive $60 on a tax write-off.
We Can All Inspire Positive Social Change
When it comes down to it, we can all do a little better in helping out the world we live in. Donating clothing to charity is one such mundane and familiar way of tapping into a common resource and finding a smarter way to keep it going. When you donate clothes you put useful materials back into the economy and stimulate job growth. You clean up the environment and reduce stress on multiple industries. Posting about your good deed? You can even start a trend. Just ring up your nearby charitable organization and have them pick up your bag or box of clothes.
When times are hard, it’s up to us to do our part!
