Cleaning closets: A guide to giving old clothes new life

Now that we’ve reached the end of a success sales seasons, perhaps you find your drawers and closets a little tighter, a bit too hard to close. It’s time to get rid of clothes, you decide. Of course, with the exception of the rattiest of undergarments, no one likes to just throw away old clothes. Someone could always use your Friends t-shirt from 1996, you’re sure, and unlike most of our trash, fabric feels like such a waste to end up in the landfill.

There are several options in Brussels of ways to give your old clothes a new life.

Donate

The most typical home people find for their unwanted garments is a local charity shop. Donating used clothes gives others a chance to buy them for significantly less than you likely paid for them new. Plus, contributing to the second-hand market conceivably dissuades people from buying new items, the vast major of which are made by unjust and at times inhumane labour practices.

The two big players in the charity world in Brussels are Les Petits Riens and Oxfam Solidarité. Les Petits Riens is a non-profit organisation with second-hand shops all throughout Brussels and Belgium (it’s called Spullenjulp in Dutch). Operating under a “social economy”, their earnings from selling thrift items go to social actions that fight poverty. Oxfam is an international organisation that carries out a broad range of programme also aimed at fighting poverty.

Both have large donation bins located throughout the city – Petits Riens’ are yellow, Oxfam’s green. Just drop your clean, still wearable clothes in these and the organisations take care of the rest. They sort your clothes, sell those that will fetch a price and recycle any that aren’t up to snuff.

A third organisation with clothing bins around the city is Terre, which originated in Herstal and has spread across Wallonia and Brussels. Instead of selling the clothes they collect, they send them off to regions of the world in need of textiles.

Sell

While old clothes traditionally wind up in charity shop, these days a “vintage” look is so fashionable that with a little extra work you might be able to fetch a pretty penny for some of your cast-offs.

Several of the trendier second-hand shops in Brussels also act as consignment shops, where you can bring in your clothes and they will pay you (usually a small amount) for items they like. These shops include Think Twice, Melting Pot and, for truly designer, Isabelle Bajart. Though be warned, they can be picky.

Another option is to set up a table at one of the many flea markets that pop up throughout the summer and autumn. Every commune usually has at least one brocante during the year, and often it’s free to participate. Rue du Fort, just behind Café Verscheuren on the Parvis de Saint Gilles, has a brocante every Sunday. Put out any old thing you want and see if you can find a buyer.

Give and exchange

Finally, for those interested in living out a circle economy philosophy or simply getting to know your community a bit better, Brussels also has several free and exchange markets. The principle behind these is simple: bring the items you want to get rid of and when someone walks by who likes them, give them away or exchange them for something you’d like. It’s a chance to save money and clear out your cabinets, while sharing and getting to know your community better. Gratiferia and the Brussels Free Market are good places to start. 

Photo © ING Images