Don’t Throw it Out - Pass it On! Meet the clothing company taking care of the disadvantaged
Pass It On Clothing & Co is a Darlinghurst-based social enterprise that puts donations of used apparel, shoes, and accessories directly in the hands of those who need it most.
Founded in September 2016 by Chris Vagg and Olga Puga, Pass It On Clothing & Co has been instrumental in providing quality men’s and women’s clothes donations to Sydney’s homeless community, making the giving of clothes more direct, efficient and effective.
The idea for Pass It On Clothing & Co stemmed from a house move for Chris and Olga and a resulting wardrobe cull. Many of the pieces to be thrown away were expensive and near new and needed to be given a new appreciative owner.
This sparked the idea of taking clothing directly to Sydney’s homeless and disadvantaged community by setting up outdoor boutiques, offering clothing free of charge to those in need.
Pass It On Clothing & Co currently operate weekly outreach services in Sydney City, Parramatta and Gosford and once a month in Arncliffe + Darlinghurst.
They've been operating for almost 5 years and have passed on over 150,000 pieces of clothing to those experiencing homelessness and disadvantage.
After two years, Chris quit his full-time job and went full-time to build the enterprise, creating a subscription clothing bin for businesses to engage with, and developed a suite of corporate programs known as The 100 Club.
In May 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, they opened their first retail shop, thanks to a partnership with TOGA and Ashe Morgan, where they sell quality fashion items not suitable for those on the street, at outlet prices.
The local community can support Pass It On by coming into the store and purchasing items for themselves, or buy for someone experiencing homelessness. Businesses can install a clothing bin at their workplace for staff, engage with one of Pass It On’s programs as an education + team-building exercise, or simply follow them on their social media channels @passitonclothing and follow / like / share the posts to amplify their message.
FB: @passitonclothing E: passitonclothingandco@gmail.com
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