Bedford explores replacements after Salvation Army cuts clothing banks
The local council is investigating ways to replace six clothing donation banks that the Salvation Army is removing, and is considering a new kerbside textiles collection as pressure builds on the second-hand clothing sector. The charity says market conditions and rising costs have made it necessary to shrink the network of drop-off points.
Council weighs kerbside textile collection
Local leaders say they are looking at practical options to keep textile reuse and recycling accessible. One option under consideration is a free monthly kerbside collection for textiles, following feedback in a waste strategy consultation that showed majority interest in such a service. Officials have not yet confirmed a start date but stress the council is actively exploring the logistics and costs.
Nicola Gribble, the council's portfolio holder for the environment, emphasised the importance of keeping recycling services available for residents and indicated that further announcements will follow as options are assessed. She urged people to continue donating good-quality clothing through alternative routes while the council works on longer-term solutions and warned against leaving bags beside removed banks because that creates litter and could trigger fines.
The authority has also reminded residents that textiles must not be placed in household orange-lidded wheelie bins, as those items will not be collected. Several mini-recycling centres and the main household waste recycling centre will continue to accept donations, and the council is promoting repair and mending initiatives as another route to extend the life of garments.
Charity cites market pressures for cuts
The Salvation Army says the decision to remove some clothing banks reflects challenging market dynamics: sharply reduced resale values for textiles, a glut of low-quality fast-fashion garments, and rising transport and processing costs. The charity's trading arm has begun reducing the number of collection banks nationally as it seeks to balance income generation for community services with the costs of collecting and handling donations.
A spokesperson for the charity said reducing the number of banks will enable better use of resources and stressed that demand remains for good-quality second-hand clothing in shops and donation centres. The trading arm uses proceeds from textile sales to fund community work and has pointed to long-term pressures across the sector, including weakening overseas markets and the increasing volume of low-grade clothing that undermines resale values.
While the charity continues to accept items at retail shops and designated donation points, it has paused or withdrawn some collection contracts, including arrangements at certain household waste sites. The trading arm also noted that, in some cases, merchants have started to charge for collections where incoming textiles are too low in quality to make resale viable, reversing a previous payment flow.
What residents should do now
Officials and charity representatives urge residents who want to donate to prioritise good-quality items that are clean and repairable. Options include taking garments to charity retail outlets, drop-off donation centres that remain open, and local recycling centres that still accept textiles. Repair cafés, alteration services and home mending are being promoted as practical ways to keep clothes in use and reduce waste.
The council asked the public not to abandon bags at removed sites and reminded households that placing textiles in regular recycling bins can lead to non-collection. For those unable to access a nearby donation point, postage donation options and shop-based drop-offs remain alternatives for passing on wearable clothing.
As the council evaluates a potential kerbside solution and the charity scales back some collection points, residents can expect further updates in the coming weeks about new services and any changes to local donation infrastructure.
