What we do

The Clothing Guild distributes new warm clothing and blankets to the poor and needy people of Cape Town on an annual basis through a number of participating welfare organisations. The items distributed are either donated by supporters (who buy, sew or knit them) or are bought by the Guild with financial donations. 

In 2025, the Guild's collection efforts resulted in a garment count of 25 225. These were sorted and distributed at the Guild's 136th Sort & Distribution event in May 2025. Thirty-seven welfare organisations in the Cape Town area received garments and blankets at the start of the Cape winter, which always brings challenging, cold and wet conditions. The Guild supports a wide range of organisations, including schools for the disabled, children's homes, hospitals, homes for the elderly and care homes. With financial donations, we have also been able to support local manufacturers of clothing by ordering clothing and blankets for onward donation.

The Guild’s ultimate aim is to serve the disadvantaged in society with compassion by engendering self respect and dignity, and showing that we care.

The time and thought given to buying or making a new garment demonstrates respect for an individual's worth and dignity. Many recipients of our garments have never before received a new piece of clothing. While second-hand garments are of great use to charitable organisations, as far as we know only the Clothing Guild gives away new garments on a large scale and on a highly organised basis. On the purely practical side, a new garment is also likely to be warmer and last much longer.