Where Do My Donations Go?

You probably already know that there are lots of convenient ways to donate, from stopping by your local retail store to convenient donation bins to scheduling a home pickup. But have you ever wondered where your items go after you donate? Then you’ve come to the right place! Let’s explore the journey your donation makes, from donation door to raw materials and recycling.

First, we sell your donations in our retail stores.

Our retail stores encourage sustainable shopping by keeping items and materials in use, giving them a second chance at life. Plus, revenue from sales supports career training and education programs in your community!

(Did you know that a single pair of jeans requires about 3,781 liters of water to make? Donate those jeans to help reduce waste!)

Next, we send any unsold items to our Goodwill Clearance Center.

At the Goodwill Clearance Center, shoppers can buy clothing, toys, and more by the pound, giving your donations one more opportunity to be sold and reused.

(Did you know reusing furniture can cut its carbon impact by up to 80% compared to buying new?)

Finally, your donations go to our Retail Operations Center.

Donations go through a final sorting process to extract any items or materials eligible for resale. This includes textile grading and plastic sorting to identify materials that can be broken down and sold as raw materials to create something completely new! Anything that can’t be reused, we attempt to recycle responsibly.

(Did you know choosing secondhand textiles helps reduce the demand for 26 trillion gallons of water used each year?)

Why it matters.

In 2025, Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona diverted nearly 200 million pounds of products and materials from going directly to landfills. That’s almost the same weight as an aircraft carrier!

We’re proud of our success, but we know we can’t do it all alone. That’s why we’re always seeking new partnerships with like-minded organizations dedicated to prioritizing reuse. Goodwill has partnered with Dell to offer Dell Reconnect, a free technology-recycling program for customers. Thanks to this partnership, we’ve responsibly recycled more than 588 million pounds of computer electronics through Dell Reconnect since 2004.

We’ve also partnered with Reju, a materials regeneration company dedicated to creating innovative solutions for recycling polyester textiles. Reju is collaborating with Goodwill and WM to collect and resell or remanufacture discarded textiles into new fabric materials. In 2023, Goodwill Industries International diverted over 4.3 billion pounds of donations from landfills, ensuring that usable materials remain in use. Together, we’re creating a circular textile-to-textile ecosystem.

We’re constantly exploring new, innovative ways to utilize available materials. We’re dedicated to driving sustainable solutions that are better for the environment and healthier for our communities across the globe.

Thank You!

Thank you for shopping and donating at Goodwill today and every day! Your support is helping us empower individuals, strengthen families, and build stronger communities right here in Arizona, and create a greener future for us all.