Current need across our branches

We need quality and ‘as new’ women’s items to dress our wonderful clients and to stock our fashion fundraising sales. Check out our online Donation Guidelines for a handy print guide. We appreciate your support!

New or as new items only – think: ‘Would I still wear this? Would I wear it for work or to go out and feel special? Would I give or lend to a friend? Is it current or classic fashion? If the answer is yes, we are your people!

1. Clothes suitable for contemporary women working across all industries

Trendy, smart, and/or casual – to wear in the modern workplace and for joining via virtual meetings from home

2. Other things we need:

– Designer and luxury brand names – on-trend styles and classic pieces

– High-quality costume and/or designer jewellery

– Handbags and accessories in very good condition

– Shoes – only new or near new

– We accept all sizes and always need high-quality 16+

 

Please help with our sustainable styling approach:

– No discount brands clothing or jewellery

– Only clean items in good repair

 

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Clothing Donation Dates

Please note: We are limited in space as we do not have a warehouse and use our offices for sorting donations. If you are not sure your donation will be suitable, please check our guidelines or contact our reception to discuss: 1800 773 456.

We do not have a washing machine or a dry-cleaning budget so please ensure items are clean and ready to be tried on.

We would really appreciate the following considerations when dropping off your donations:

– Fold your donations

– Deliver in boxes or recyclable bags where possible

– Refrain from using plastic garbage bags/ soft plastics

 

Sydney branch

Lot 1, Inner West Sustainability Hub, 7 Prospect Rd, Summer Hill NSW

• Mondays from 10am – 2pm
• Saturdays from 9am – 12pm

If you cannot make our drop-off days or location in Sydney, we have several alternate drop-off locations coordinated by our volunteers. Please email info@dfsnswact.org with your interest and suburb and our team will be in touch with your nearest drop-off point.

Illawarra branch

2/210 Cowper Street, Warrawong NSW

• Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 10am – 1pm

Newcastle-Hunter branch

82-84 Belford Street, Broadmeadow, Newcastle

• Thursdays 9.30am – 10.15am: by appointment – click here

 

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Clothing Donation Guidelines

At Dress for Success, our core styling service depends on impeccably donated women’s clothes to wear in the modern workplace and for joining via virtual meetings from home. We also supply shoes, and accessories so we can dress our clients to nail that interview and thrive in their new role.

We simply couldn’t do what we do without your conscious regifting of clothing; recycling your pre-loved workwear to dress our women across regional and the metropolis of NSW for interviews, court appearances, life events and our signature ‘Got the Job!’ mix and match wardrobe or for helping raise much-needed funds at our fashion fundraising events.

We consider our donors as part of our styling team. Please help us support our clients by following our Donation Guidelines to reduce our collective environmental footprint and improve the social impact of our services across NSW.

We have professionally trained staff and volunteers who inspect all brands, especially designer items and handbags to ensure that they are authentic.

We have gained a reputation for selling high-quality fashion at affordable prices while supporting sustainability initiatives through reuse and recycling; please see below for occasion and luxury items we sell at our fashion sales.

COVID restrictions have made us think carefully about our acceptance level of donations as we have had to downsize our premises, so we ask you to donate conservatively and ideally give pieces and collections that you would personally be proud to put together to deliver directly to our clients.

Donation Due Diligence Checklist

Put on that stylist hat on and ask yourself if your donation is appropriate for either 1) a job interview or 2) current workwear (corporate, smart casual environments and/or trades). Would you gift it to a good friend? It is critical for us to provide our clients with love, warmth and mindfulness and the integrity they deserve.

We love tags still on and plus sizes!

– Test strength in zips, studs, labels, embellishments, and elastics

– Must endure a 2nd lifetime of machine washes on warm/cold cycle

– We don’t accept garments with colour-fade, pilling, uneven hems and lining, seam slippage, fraying, broken stitching and missing accessories such as buttons

– Please re-wash before donating especially if you notice marks, stains and odours

– We do not accept garments that look old, tired, very outdated and well-worn to the naked eye

Corporate workwear

– Designer reputable brands, think high street

– Matching suits; jacket/skirt or jacket/pants

– Skirt styles in an appropriate length

– Pants three quarter and full length, that can be easily paired with a jacket

– Jackets – durable for daily wear

– Shirts; long and short sleeve

– Tops without collars that can be worn easily under jackets

Footwear & handbags

– Ankle boots, court shoes, dress heels and trainers

– Wallets and purposeful bags

– Must not have an odour that can be generic with leather

– Soles must be even from heel to toe and not worn-in at specific points

– Heels must not be higher than a court shoe

– Colour must be visibly even all over with no scuffs nor marks

– Press studs and buckles working

– Comfortability must be a major factor

Accessories & jewellery

– Earrings must come in a pair and have matching backs; studs, hoops and costume jewellery that can be worn regularly is the most acceptable

– Work-appropriate, on-trend pieces such as fine bracelets and necklaces

– Scarfs accepted

– Please note: some plated jewellery contain nickel and copper, both of which commonly cause skin discoloration, therefore, we cannot accept

Knitwear, wovens, casualwear & athleisure

These items are perfect for our Style Delivered program and for women being released from prison. Please check items comply with our standards above and:

– Check strength and fabric stretch for shape and dimensional stability

– Reinforce weak areas liable to stress, such as elbows and knees in denim, cotton, silk and woollens

Occasion wear & luxury items

Yes we take quality high-end items! If not appropriate for work, they may be gifted to clients or we will sell at one of our signature pop-up fashion sales. These are important fundraisers for us with all proceeds directly supporting our operations and employability programs.

We abide by the Circular Economy model to recycle, reuse and resell – aiming to avoid landfill. Items may cycle through a number of sales and then be donated to deserving partner charities.