Suits and smart work clothes

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Suits/office wear: options that aren't the charity shop

If you have a smart suit that you no longer need, the obvious place to take it is the nearest charity shop, and there is nothing wrong with that. But there are other options. There are several charities which accept suits and other smart office-friendly clothes and give them to people who are struggling to enter the world of work. If you've just left the army, prison or the care system then having something to wear to an interview can be a real barrier. We've only tried donating suits to one such charity, but if you have experience of giving to others, please let us know.

Who will take used suits?

Suited for Success They take good quality office-appropriate clothes for men and women: jackets, shirts, skirts, trousers, shoes, etc. If you are in the Birmingham area you can drop them off directly.

Otherwise you can make a postal donation via DropPoint. You weigh your parcel, then buy a postage label that is priced according to the size and weight. Then you print off the label (or you can get the printed label posted to you for a small extra fee if you don't have a printer) and take it to a CollectPlus shop.

A recent example (October 2021): a box including a heavy man's winter coat, two men's suits and four women's jackets weighed nearly 8kg. So the person paid £5.89 for a label allowing a parcel weight of up to 10kg. Dropping it off at the CollectPlus point was easy - they just scan the label and give you a receipt acknowledging drop-off. This option does involve paying a small cost and it's more faff than the charity shop. But it might be the best way for your suit to find a new life.