Where to donate clothing, find textile recycling bins, and support the Waipuna Hospice shop in Pāpāmoa. Clothing cannot go in your yellow recycling bin.
Textiles and clothing cannot go in your yellow recycling bin. But there are several good options in Pāpāmoa and nearby for donating, recycling or rehoming unwanted clothes - from clothing bins and charity shops to specialist textile recyclers.
Clothing bins in Pāpāmoa
Clothing donation bins accept clean, wearable clothing and textiles. The most visible in Pāpāmoa are operated by charities including the Salvation Army and Dress for Success. Items that are too worn to sell are typically on-sold to textile recyclers or donated to Pacific communities. Most bins accept clothing, shoes, and linen - but not duvets, pillows, or non-textiles.
Salvation ArmyRed clothing bins at various Tauranga and Pāpāmoa locations. Check salvationarmy.org.nz for current bin map.
What they acceptClean, wearable clothing, shoes, linen and blankets. No duvets, pillows or soiled items.
TipBag donations before placing in bins. Items left outside bins can become a nuisance and are sometimes not collected.
Waipuna Hospice Shop - Pāpāmoa
The Waipuna Hospice charity shop on Domain Road is Pāpāmoa’s most established place to donate quality clothing, homewares, books and household items. All proceeds fund specialist palliative care for people in the Bay of Plenty facing a life-limiting illness - care that is provided at no cost to patients and families.
Waipuna Hospice Charity Shop - Pāpāmoa
HospiceDonations acceptedFree collection available
157 Domain Road, Pāpāmoa Beach · 07 282 7143
They accept clothing, footwear, homewares, books, furniture and collectables. Quality items only please - they rely on saleable stock to fund hospice care. A free donation collection service is available if you have larger quantities: call the donation hotline on 07 281 1755 to book a pickup from your door.
Mon–Fri: 9am–4pm · Sat–Sun: 10am–3pm
Waipuna Hospice also has a free home collection service for larger donations. Ring 07 281 1755 to book. They come to you - no need to transport items yourself.
Other donation options
Other charity shops in Pāpāmoa and nearby also accept clothing donations (see the Op Shops page for full details). Unwearable textiles that cannot be donated can be taken to Te Maunga Transfer Station. A small number of specialist textile recyclers operate in New Zealand and accept items that op shops cannot resell.
Recycle BoutiqueBuy and sell pre-loved fashion. Bayfair Shopping Centre, Mt Maunganui. recycleboutique.co.nz
ImpacTexNZ textile recycler for unwearable items. Postal or courier service. impactex.nz
Te MaungaTransfer station will accept unwanted textiles as general waste if no other option available.
Facebook MarketplacePāpāmoa has active local buy/sell groups. Good for rehoming clothing with value that op shops might pass on.
Trade MeGood for quality, branded or vintage items. Ships nationwide.
What can and can’t be donated
Charity shops and clothing bins rely on saleable stock to raise funds, so the single most useful thing you can do is donate only items that are clean, dry and good enough to be worn or used again. Stained, ripped, mouldy or wet items cost charities money to sort and dispose of - so those are better routed to a textile recycler or, as a last resort, general waste.
Usually acceptedClean wearable clothing, paired shoes, handbags, belts, clean linen, blankets, towels and curtains.
Often not acceptedUnderwear, duvets and pillows, soiled or wet items, single shoes, and heavily worn or ripped clothing.
Check firstLarger items like furniture or electrical goods - call ahead, as not every shop has the space or can on-sell them.
Unwearable textilesWorn-out clothing and fabric scraps are best sent to a specialist textile recycler rather than placed in a donation bin.
How to prepare your donation
A few minutes of preparation makes donations far more useful to local charities and far more likely to be resold rather than thrown away.
Wash & dryLaunder clothing and make sure everything is completely dry - damp donations can spoil a whole bag.
Bag securelyUse tied bags so contents stay clean and dry, especially if placing items in an outdoor clothing bin.
Pair & bundleTie shoes together and keep sets (like bed linen) bundled so nothing gets separated during sorting.
Don’t overfill binsIf a bin is full, take items home and return later. Bags left on the ground get rained on and are often sent to landfill.
Drop off in hoursFor larger or quality donations, drop off at a staffed charity shop during opening hours rather than leaving them outside.
Why textile recycling matters
Textiles are one of the fastest-growing parts of New Zealand’s household waste stream, and clothing sent to landfill can take many years to break down - synthetic fabrics in particular. Donating, repairing and reusing clothing keeps usable items in circulation, funds local charities, and reduces what goes to the Te Maunga Transfer Station. Repairing and altering what you already own is often the greenest option of all - and supports local makers if you use an alterations service.
The waste hierarchy for clothing is simple: reduce, repair, reuse, then recycle. Buy less and better, repair what you can, donate what’s still good, and only recycle or bin what’s truly beyond use.
Quick reference
Clothing bins - Salvation Army (various locations)