Sustainability

Long before green came into style, Goodwill pioneered the “reduce, reuse, repurpose” practice in 1902. Today, that philosophy continues as part of our commitment to caring for people and the planet.

We want you to know that your donated goods have the power to do GOOD, to make a difference in people’s lives, to strengthen communities, and create a healthier environment.  When you donate clothing and other items like books or electronics to Goodwill, your donations are given a “second life.”

While only the highest quality items end up on Goodwill’s shelves and on ShopGoodwill.com, the remaining items are diverted from landfills and head to our outlet and salvage facility in Kansas City, Missouri.  At the outlet, items are sold by the pound. When items go to salvage, they are sorted and redirected to partners that recycle and repurpose cloth, plastic, metal, electronics, paper and more.  Annually, we divert 15 million pounds of unwanted items from landfills.