Can I donate fake goods to a charity shop?

Giddytimes

I bought 2 dresses a while back from an internet site, when they arrived I could tell they were fake. They also didn't fit me.

The website disappeared and I tried but failed to receive a refund.

These dresses have been sitting in my wardrobe for over a year now, they are nice dresses, well made, it seems a shame for them to just be sat in my wardrobe.

I tried to sell them on ebay about 6 months ago, stating in the listing that I don't believe them to be real but my listing was removed. I understand I breached Ebay rules, hadn't realised at the time.

So, can I donate these dresses to charity? Would I get in trouble for this? I was thinking of taking them in and specifically telling the shop assistant that they aren't real.

I just have a nagging doubt as can imagine that either way they will end up back on ebay somehow, but being advertised as real. Does anyone know if there is any come back on me if they do?

Thanks

pinkshoes

Just destroy them. They were no doubt made by slave labour, and some fat cat is profiting, so the best place for them is the bin.

Actually, I would rip them, then put them in a material recycling bin.

PasturesNew

Can't you just cut the labels out? So they're unlabelled random dresses?

hermum

PasturesNew wrote: »

Can't you just cut the labels out? So they're unlabelled random dresses?

I was going to say the same, can't you sell them as just dresses.

butler_helen

I too would take them to the shop, with the labels cut off so you cannot tell what brand they were meant to be.

RFW

pinkshoes wrote: »

Just destroy them. They were no doubt made by slave labour, and some fat cat is profiting, so the best place for them is the bin.

They are already made, no one is advocating buying more to send to a charity shop. A lot of fakes are made in this country and when discovered usually end up in landfill, there has been programmes to have them delabelled and sent to third world countries.

shop-to-drop

I'd take them but maybe put a cross through the label. Better the charity shop gets something than they go in the bin.

iieee

I was going to suggest cutting the labels too.

Ben84

pinkshoes wrote: »

Just destroy them. They were no doubt made by slave labour, and some fat cat is profiting, so the best place for them is the bin.

Actually, I would rip them, then put them in a material recycling bin.

I'd be surprised if they were made with slave labour, although poorly paid labour is a likely possibility. However, I would also accuse manufacturers of many 'genuine' clothes of using very poorly paid labour and making huge amounts of profit for a few individuals, so if this is a reason to throw out clothes a significant amount of items in wardrobes across the UK should be thrown out! It's a non-point though, we have no certainty that their production had negative effects on someone and throwing them out does nothing to negate any possible negative effects they had ether. If the quality of the item is good then it would be reasonable to find someone who would like to wear them and the OP could attempt to recover some of the money spent on them.

The label could be removed and then they could be sold on eBay. While selling fakes is not allowed, without the label making the false claim they are just dresses. Describe them as fairly as possible on condition/quality and state they have no brand in the listing and I'm sure you'd be fine. Worst they could do is remove your listing, but really why would they remove a listing for an unbranded dress that is described as such.

missbishi

I'm all for cutting the labels out and relisting too - use the right keywords in your title and it won't matter that they are unbranded as pretty dresses always sell very well over the summer months : )

Giddytimes

Thanks guys.

I'm not sure I will be able to remove all the brand markings from these dresses but I'll dig them out this weekend and have a go. If I put a hole in them trying I guess I won't have lost anything anyway!