After your wedding day, it can be difficult to decide what to do with your dress. If you don’t plan on wearing it again, it could end up hanging in a closet collecting dust until you get married again, or it can be donated to a charity that can put the dress to good use. Besides being a great way to give back, it’s also an eco-friendly option as it helps reduce waste caused by new textile production, according to Zola.
Many charities that accept donations of wedding dresses are not only helpful to brides who can’t afford their dream gown, but they also help advance a cause. For example, Brides Against Breast Cancer will sell your dress to new brides for a reasonable price and use the profits to fund early breast cancer detection programs. Another charity, Angel Gowns, transforms donated wedding dresses into beautiful infant burial gowns for families who have lost their little ones too soon. This organization has been around since 1997 and will accept any brand of dress as long as it is in excellent condition and recently cleaned.
Other organizations that accept used wedding dresses include St Vincent de Paul and Oxfam bridal charity outlets in Dublin and Bangor. In addition, Adorned in Grace is a non-profit that raises awareness and provides support for victims of human trafficking, and they accept dresses countrywide.
If you’re unsure where to donate your dress, do some research to find an organization that’s close to home. That will make it easy for you to drop off the dress, and you can be sure it’s going to a reputable place. It’s also a good idea to have the dress dry cleaned before you send it off. This will ensure it’s free of stains and snags that may be hard to remove once the dress is at its destination.
Once you’ve selected an organization, it’s important to be clear and honest with them throughout the process of donating your gown. Keep records of all correspondence, agreements and receipts. This will not only ensure a smooth transaction, but it will also come in handy should there be any questions or issues down the line.
Another option for your old wedding dress is to repurpose it into something else, such as a pillow or Christmas tree skirt. There are several stores that will alter your dress into a keepsake for you, or you can do it yourself by dying the dress a different color.
Wedding dresses are incredibly delicate, so it’s important to take care of them as much as you can. One wrong move could rip the lace or tear off a bead. Before you send your dress to a charity, have it professionally cleaned and packaged so that it arrives in pristine condition. If your dress came with a garment bag, use it, or you can buy acid-free boxes to keep it safe in transit.