One of the most common questions people ask about donation bins is: "Where does the clothing go?" After a donor decides to clean their closet and donate their used clothes, they want to know that their donation will make a difference. At Planet Aid, we believe it’s important to be transparent about where donations go and how they continue to create value once they’re dropped off at our bins and donation centers.
When you donate clothing to Planet Aid, you’re not just clearing space in your closet. You’re helping connect usable textiles to a reuse system that creates value far beyond the point of donation. Planet Aid’s collection model helps keep clothing in circulation and sends it to markets where it can be sorted, repaired, resold, and reused.
Central American markets are where most Planet Aid clothes are resold, and this creates a boon of work in clothing sorting centers and thrift stores for people in countries like Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Moreover, recent research commissioned by Garson & Shaw and conducted by Jennifer Wang, founder and CEO of Full Cycle Resource Consulting (FCR), looks closely at the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the global secondhand clothing trade, with a particular focus on Central America and Guatemala. The study highlights how reuse supports local markets, small businesses, and income generation, especially for women working in the secondhand sector.
In Guatemala, secondhand clothing is more than a low-cost product. It is inventory for entrepreneurs who sort, clean, repair, tailor, and resell garments in markets and shops, turning donated textiles into income and opportunity. Jennifer Wang’s findings showed that women made up 60.7% of respondents in the markets studied and 57.4% of business owners, underscoring the role secondhand trade can play in female economic participation.
That matters because secondhand clothing offers a practical path into business for people who may face barriers to formal employment. Garson & Shaw’s research also points to the flexibility and lower capital requirements of the sector, which can make it especially valuable in communities where traditional job opportunities are limited.
The bigger picture is simple: what starts as a donation in the U.S. can become a source of livelihood abroad. A shirt placed in a Planet Aid bin may become merchandise for a market vendor, a repaired garment for a customer, or a steady source of income for a woman building her own business.
So the next time you donate to Planet Aid, remember that you’re doing more than keeping textiles out of the landfill or supporting local and global development projects. You’re helping power a circular system that supports reuse, reduces waste, and creates opportunity for women and families around the world.