As April starts nearing the end, and May is quickly approaching it’s time to start thinking about reworking your style. Luckily for Catholic University students have the opportunity to give away any clothes or items they would not like to the move out donation drive. During the 2023 and 2024 drives, 3,500+ pounds of donations were collected. Everything collected during this drive was distributed to Habitat for Humanity, Good Will, and more! Some of the items were even made available to students moving in as part of a free thrift store for access to all students. This is a great addition to the mission of sustainability at Catholic University. Fast fashion and the way we dispose of our clothes has hurt the environment at a rapid pace.
The Facts
Fast fashion and textile disposal has become an increasingly important issue across the world. According to earth.org The average US consumer throws away 81.5 lbs of clothes every year. Theroundup.org calculated that 92 million tons of textile waste each year. They also calculated that only 20% of the discarded textiles are collected and only 1% will be recycled into new clothing. This is a huge problem for our environment because textiles are not easily decomposable materials. earth.org also provided the statistic that $500 billion is lost each year because of under-wearing and failure to recycle clothes. Fashion has such an impact on the economy and by discarding clothes the way the world does, the economy is missing out on a large portion of what they could possibly gain. earth.org also noted that fast fashion brands are producing twice the amount of clothes today than in 2000. The roundup.org calculated that consumers own 60% more clothing but discard each item of clothing after wearing it 50% less often. Looking at the facts, the problems of fast fashion and textile disposal need to be addressed. This is where the move out donation drive at Catholic University tries to combat these statistics.
Declutter Your Life
Let’s face it, college leads to the accumulation of random stuff throughout the year. From free tshirts the school gives out at events to clothes that you will no longer wear after graduation, it is easy for your room to become cluttered. Moving out is the perfect time to go through and see which articles of clothing and random items you actually need. By donating items that you no longer need or use it allows you to declutter your life and make moving out less stressful. By having less stuff to move out there are fewer things to pack, organize, and move back home! In addition, decluttering can help bring down anxiety!
Building Community
The donation drive offers a great opportunity to follow the university’s commitment to service and giving back! What is a better way to help out the community students love so much than giving back to it. By donating items to the move out drive the clothes and items go to good causes within the greater community of Brookland, but also the smaller community of Catholic University. This initiative not only helps preserve the environment, but also offers students on a budget the opportunity to find clothes or items they would find useful in their rooms. What better way to foster a sense of community on campus than fostering a culture of giving back and sharing what you no longer need with others who do need it.
Easy and Convenience
Sometimes it can be hard during the school year finding a time and place to go and donate items students no longer need or want. Catholic University’s move out donation drive makes it easy and convenient for students on campus to donate. There are multiple donation stations set up throughout campus to allow all students on campus to have easy access to drop their items off. Some of the donated items are going to local charities like Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity which are locations students who are looking to donate clothes during the year would look to donate to.
Tips on how to make the most out of the drive
For students looking to make the most out of the move-out donation drive, here are some tips and tricks on how to make the most out of it:
- Start early: begin going through your clothes before the actual day of move out and start making a pile of clothes and items you would be willing to donate.
- Donate responsibly: make sure to only donate clothes in good condition that others can use. If there are clothes that are heavily worn make sure to recycle those items correctly.
- Encourage others: why not make donating a whole friend group activity. The more people who donate the bigger the impact it has on the community and the environment.
- Volunteer: consider reaching out to see how you can help go through the donations and help with sustainability at Catholic University!
How can you participate?
Make sure to participate in this year's event starting on Wednesday, May 7 and continuing through Friday, May 16. Donation bins will be placed in residence hall laundry rooms on May 7th for students to drop off clothing and small household items. On May 9 & 10 there will be two donation drop-off sites for students to drop off furniture and other larger items that they do not want to take home with them over the summer.