When you’re done with your wedding dress, you might think of getting it preserved or passing it on to a future bride. But if you don’t have any plans to wear it again, or your wedding dress is just taking up valuable storage space, it might make more sense to donate it. Fortunately, there are plenty of organizations that accept wedding dress donations and give them a new home.
Many thrift stores, like Goodwill and The Salvation Army, accept gowns as donations. But be sure to check out the donation guidelines on the organization’s website or contact them to learn more about which items they accept and what the process looks like. Some thrift stores may offer pickup or drop-off services, while others require you to fill out a form and ship your dress to them based on their instructions.
There are also nonprofit bridal shops that specialize in reselling donated dresses. For example, the Portland-based Brides for a Cause has boutiques across the country that resell donated wedding dresses to raise money for women-focused charity programs, like promoting positive self-image and education. The organization has found homes for more than 35,000 gowns in the two decades since it began, and its online store features a wide selection of pre-owned wedding dresses for sale.
Other nonprofits repurpose wedding gowns for other purposes, like raising money and awareness for breast cancer. The Atlanta-based Brides Against Breast Cancer has raised more than $1.5 million in the nearly 20 years it’s been selling used gowns, with proceeds benefiting research for early breast cancer detection and support for newly diagnosed patients. Its dress collection includes both gently used gowns and ones that were new when donated, as well as a few designer dresses.
Some of these organizations also sell bridal accessories, and some donate the proceeds from those sales to other charities, like helping women who were victims of human trafficking or domestic abuse rebuild their lives. For example, Maryland’s Cherie Sustainable Bridal, which opened in 2013, supports Success in Style, a local nonprofit that helps people in crisis get jobs by offering professional clothing and teaching basic interview skills. It offers a variety of bridal dresses at its boutiques and doesn’t require that the gowns be professionally cleaned before donating them.
One final way you can help cut down on textile waste is by donating your gown to a charity that resells it. The Emma and Evan Foundation repurposes wedding dresses into angel gowns for families of prematurely born infants who die in the hospital. The gowns provide solace, dignity and a remembrance to the baby’s family during their most difficult time. The charity accepts donations of new and gently used wedding dresses year-round.
While it’s important to clean your gown before donating it, be sure to take it to someone who specializes in wedding dresses and other formal wear. It’s worth the investment to protect your dress and ensure that it is as beautiful for its second life as it was on the day you wore it for the first time.