Now Red Cross and Uber want to use it to fund humanitarian work

If the latest research is any guide – and Red Cross says it is – Generation X New Zealanders (born between 1965-1984) are the biggest hoarders of a massive $3 billion worth of unused clothing hanging up in Kiwi wardrobes.

Red Cross and Uber are combining to encourage people to donate high quality but disused clothes as part of a drive to help fund Red Cross’ humanitarian work. The Uber x New Zealand Red Cross Clothing Drive was devised after Uber’s Cost Of Giving report revealed that 97 per cent of Kiwis have clothes they haven’t worn in the past 12 months, worth an average $800 per person.

So Red Cross and Uber hit on the idea of giving Kiwis the opportunity to take action and declutter the collective $3.1bn of unused clothing sat in their wardrobes on Saturday, October 21, with Uber offering free pick up from home doorsteps to Red Cross sorting centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on that day.

The Cost Of Giving research also threw up some interesting behavioural facts about Kiwis and their clothes – as well as uncovering that more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of Kiwis felt barriers stopped them from donating clothes to charity; finding time and a place to donate were among the top five barriers, along with access to transport.

But where do these clothes come from? The Cost Of Giving Report says:

• While Gen Z hold about $656 worth of unused clothing in their wardrobes, Gen X lead with $918, followed by Millennials with $825, and Boomers with $810 worth of unused clothing.
• Christchurch residents had the highest value of unused clothes, with $1062, compared to $800 in Auckland and $697 in Wellington.
• This is even though nearly two-thirds of Kiwis (65 per cent) say they ‘spring clean’ their wardrobes at least once a year, and nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) doing so at least every six months.
• Kiwis estimated the average value of all their unused clothing items to be over $800, with more than one in five (22 per cent) saying their estimated value is $1000 or more.

The report also shows the rise in the cost of living is taking a toll on Kiwis’ ability to give back, with more than one-third (35 per cent) of New Zealanders saying they want to donate more to charity, but financial constraints are a significant hurdle.

So the drive’s goal is to gather more than thousands of pre-loved clothes between 9am and 4pm on October 21, by offering free delivery via Uber’s same day delivery service, Uber Package, to Red Cross Shop drop off locations across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

Shane Chisholm, General Manager – Enterprise and Engagement at New Zealand Red Cross, says the drive will help Kiwis overcome the biggest barriers to supporting charities: “From the Far North to the deep south, New Zealand Red Cross provides a range of essential humanitarian services including supporting communities to respond to and recover from disasters and emergencies.

“We also support former refugees as they build new lives in Aotearoa New Zealand and deliver a number of vital community services, such as Meals on Wheels, which delivers over 700,000 meals each year.”

Emma Foley, Uber New Zealand General Manager, says the Clothing Donation Drive represents a great opportunity for Uber’s technology to support Red Cross’ work.

“We saw this year just how important it is that organisations like New Zealand Red Cross are well prepared to help Kiwis facing disasters and hardship,” she says. “Cost of living pressures mean Kiwis may not be in a position to contribute financially this year, but donating clothes is an easy way to support New Zealand Red Cross’s great work, and this drive makes it easy and free to give.

“Uber Package is a super convenient way to send items to where they need to go, so it makes sense for us to use our platform to help New Zealanders donate for free from their doorstep.”

Comedian Chris Parker says: “Not only is this a fun, novel way to get behind an amazing charity, and a great reason to do some spring cleaning, but more importantly you forget how much good these items could do in the right hands. This clothing drive feels like such a great way to join together and help the Red Cross so they can continue doing all the amazing work they do.”

So how will it work?

• Create a declutter date: Lock in a date night with your wardrobe. Making time to sort through your clothes is one of the biggest barriers stopping us from donating.
• Refresh and reset: Be pragmatic. If you haven’t worn an item in the last 12 months but it’s still in great condition, consider passing it on. Red Cross is on the lookout for high-quality, saleable clothing and accessories. For the Clothing Drive, they can’t accept homewares. In general, they don’t accept underwear or clothing that’s worn out or dirty. If it’s something you’d give to a friend due to its quality, it’s definitely something Red Cross would appreciate.
• Create pre-loved bundles: Gather your pre-loved items into a bag or box, no heavier than 20kg, so it comfortably sits in the boot of a midsize car.
• Prepare for Uber Package Pick-up: Open the Uber app between 9am to 4pm on October 21, navigate to the “Package” option. Click “Send a package”, enter “Red Cross Clothing Drive” as the destination, and select one of the “Red Cross Clothing Drive” locations. Alternatively, you may see a banner in the app relating to the Clothing Drive which, when clicked on, will allow you to select one of the Red Cross Clothing Drive locations shown. Remember, you need to be in Christchurch, Auckland or Wellington to redeem free delivery, and it is only redeemable once. Eligible customers will see a $0 amount payable when they book an Uber Package set to one of the Red Cross Clothing Drive Drop-off locations.
• Donate from your doorstep: Real-time tracking of the delivery person’s arrival in the Uber app means you can meet them at your doorstep, or curbside, to hand over your donation.

Your donation can help people in need: By donating quality, pre-loved and clean clothing, you are helping contribute valuable funds to Red Cross humanitarian programmes which offer support where it’s needed every day of the year.

For more information on the Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive click here