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Dubai: These volunteers sort, wash, sew and restore pre-loved items to raise funds for charity
Since opening in 2020, Thrift for Good has built a network of more than 3,000 volunteers, with about 70 actively volunteering their time to various tasks
- PUBLISHED: Sun 2 Mar 2025, 5:30 AM
Inside Al Quoz’s industrial maze, a quiet revolution in sustainable shopping and philanthropy is underway. Behind the inviting storefront of the nonprofit Thrift for Good’s (TfG) newly opened retail and sustainability hub — where neatly arranged racks of clothing, accessories, shoes, and books appear brand new — a group of volunteers is hard at work.
Inside this brightly lit, bustling warehouse turned sustainability hub, volunteers sort, wash, sew, and restore pre-loved items, giving them a second life and keeping them out of landfills.
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Marketing professional Carina Scharf began her volunteering journey with the store after stumbling upon their outlet in Times Square Centre in 2023. “I looked them up and came across their call out for volunteers and immediately registered to become one,” the 33-year-old German expat told Khaleej Times.
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Scharf wears multiple hats as a volunteer with the store, coming in a few times every week to support with everything from front of house roles as a cashier and store organiser and at the back sorting, steaming and preparing fresh stock.
Considering herself a ‘volunteer ambassador’, Scharf said: “I also provide expertise from my marketing background, help raise awareness for community involvement and make the store look more attractive to customers.”
An altruistic community
Since opening in 2020, TfG has built a network of more than 3,000 volunteers, with about 70 actively volunteering their time to various tasks that keep the initiative running at any given moment.
Giving back to the community has always been important to volunteers like Scharf. "When I came across the store and saw its humanitarian and sustainability mission, I knew it was exactly where I wanted to be. Being part of this family is not only fulfilling but also incredibly fun,” she added.
Dubai resident Jennifer Sault founded the store, inspired by her experience working at non-profit organisations and the challenges she encountered in fundraising for philanthropic projects.
Witnessing the overwhelming presence of fast fashion in the UAE, she decided to create a volunteer-driven thrifting model that would not only promote a circular economy in fashion but provide a sustainable and transparent way to raise funds.
Partnering with the non-profit Gulf for Good, the store channels 100 per cent of its profits to global children’s charity projects, making shopping both ethical and impactful for customers. As part of its dual goal, TfG stores have raised Dh3,283,794 for global charitable projects to date. Last year alone, the store diverted 300,000 pieces from landfills.
Sault attributes this success to the invaluable time and effort donated by volunteers. "The sheer volume of clothing that comes through, needing repurposing and ultimately being saved from landfills, is immense. Sorting, storing, preparing items for sale and managing daily operations require many hands and this is where the generosity of the community for a non-profit shines through," she said.
Dedicated hub for volunteers
Sault initially relied on sponsors like storage facility The Box and her network of volunteers across the UAE to store excess donated items. After receiving a grant from Visa’s She’s Next global advocacy programme for women-owned small businesses last year, she was able to establish a dedicated hub where volunteers can manage these tasks in-house.
“With 60 per cent of donated items requiring some refurbishment upon arrival, our volunteers used to take them home to wash, mend, remove stains, and repair stitches. Managing inventory this way became challenging, and our operations suffered,” Sault noted.
TfG recently launched its Youth Sustainability Club to teach young people how to sew and creatively repurpose end-of-life clothing while earning volunteer hours for school credit.
"We want to attract more volunteers and provide them with a dedicated space to contribute. That’s why we’re calling it a hub. It’s more than just a workspace. It’s a community-driven space where we can introduce new engagement initiatives in the coming months,” said Sault, adding: “The hub also serves as a hot-desking space for sustainability-focused startups and individuals, enabling innovation and collaboration.”
Spreading the culture of sharing
Volunteers say TfG’s diverse pathways to building a more altruistic society make it a compelling place to contribute their time.
Judith Ann Hill, a long-time volunteer for the nonprofit Raey School in Ethiopia, volunteers at the store once a week as a sales representative as a way to continue her community service in Dubai. “Working at the store gives me focus and a sense of purpose. It’s also great on a social level as I meet new people and customers from all over the world,” said the 66-year-old Australian expat.
"I've had the opportunity to personally share my charity work in Ethiopia with customers. The photos, videos, and posters displayed in the shop not only raise awareness but also inspire more people to embrace thrifting. We receive an incredible number of donations daily from people who love our stores and everything we stand for,” she added.
For Ralph Ledesma, volunteering at the store is a natural extension of his values of giving back. As a fashion and interior design specialist, he lends his expertise in visual merchandising and creative direction, enhancing the store’s interior and styling for photoshoots.
“The store sheds light on critical issues that need collective action. It’s shifting perceptions around consumption, making sustainable shopping and supporting meaningful causes more mainstream,” he highlighted.
The 26-year-old has been with the store for two years, an one of his proudest moments was sharing his time serving as a TfG stylist for a fashion show featuring people of determination at last year’s F.A.M.E inclusive talent event.
“The participants took centre stage with confidence, dressed in pieces from the store. It was a truly heartwarming experience, where fashion, purpose and passion came together in the best way,” he added.
'Contribute in any way'
As the store continues to expand, Sault said they will increase community activities at the sustainability hub. They have been donating 10 per cent of unused store items to Serve the City, a volunteer group that distributes goods to various camps. They also partnered with Kiswa UAE to recycle items that cannot be repurposed in the store.
"There are countless ways to give back with us, and we invite people to contribute in any way they can. We want to connect people. At the end of the day, it’s more than just thrifting, it’s about helping kids around the world.”
“Let’s look at the bigger picture. See how your actions are helping children around the world and protecting our environment.”
“You’ll also become part of a volunteer community that transforms even the most routine tasks into peaceful, enjoyable experiences. Who would have thought that steaming clothes and stamping price tags could turn into your new form of meditative ‘me-time’,” Scharf added.