Take a look inside your wardrobe. How many of the clothes hanging there do you actually wear regularly?
Research suggests the average UK adult owns around 116 items of clothing, yet a significant proportion of our wardrobes go unworn.
Some are out of season. Some no longer fit. Some were bought for a particular occasion. And plenty have simply been pushed to the back of the wardrobe and forgotten about.
With spring traditionally being a time for clearing out and starting fresh, it could also be the perfect opportunity to put those unwanted clothes to better use.
An unworn jumper or pair of jeans might not seem particularly valuable when it's sitting at home.
But imagine thousands of people across a school, charity or local community clearing out their wardrobes at the same time.
Suddenly, those unwanted clothes represent something much bigger.
Through a Fundraise & Recycle clothes bank, clothing that people no longer need can be collected while simultaneously generating funds for the organisation hosting the bank.
That means supporters can contribute to their favourite school, charity or community organisation without being asked to hand over more cash.
No raffle ticket. No sponsored event. No donation form.
Just a bag of clothes they weren't wearing anyway.
As the seasons change, many of us naturally start reorganising our wardrobes.
Winter coats get packed away. Children's clothes from last year no longer fit. Items bought months ago suddenly become obvious because we realise we haven't worn them once.
Rather than putting everything back into the wardrobe for another year, ask yourself a simple question:
Am I realistically going to wear this again?
If the answer is no, donating it could give that clothing another opportunity while helping generate valuable funds for an organisation within your community.
One bag of clothing might not feel like much.
But textile fundraising is about collective action.
We've seen partners across our network raise thousands of pounds by encouraging their communities to regularly donate unwanted clothing.
Ribbon Academy, for example, has raised more than £6,700 towards its student enrichment programme, while West View Primary has generated £5,500 towards its playground refurbishment.
Those figures aren't the result of one person clearing out an enormous wardrobe. They're what can happen when an entire community gets involved.
With households facing plenty of financial demands already, fundraising doesn't always need to mean asking people to give more money.
Sometimes, there are other ways to contribute.
Your community already has clothes it doesn't wear.
Your organisation already has people who want to support it.
A clothes bank simply brings the two together.
So, as you start your next spring clean, don't just ask yourself what you can get rid of.
Ask what those unwanted clothes could help achieve.
A clearer wardrobe, fewer unwanted textiles entering general waste, and additional funds for an organisation you care about – all without handing over a penny.
