How to Make Your Wildfire Relief Donations Count: Exploring Crisis Overconsumption
Words by Alice Hartwell
LA has faced a challenging start to the new year, as relentless wildfires swept through the landscape, leaving destruction and devastation. As an independent brand that works closely with our local community and artisans, the events of the past month have been heartbreaking to encounter on the streets dāl calls home. Now is the time to rebuild and reflect on the lessons this tragedy can teach us. Above all, this serves as a reminder of LA’s unwavering resilience, the escalating threats of climate change, and the importance of responsible wildfire donation efforts.
Our letter today spends a retrospective moment exploring conscious giving and the best ways to help our communities rebuild from disaster, without contributing to an entirely different crisis: clothing overconsumption.
The concern with clothing donations after wildfires
In the wake of destroyed homes and livelihoods, well-intentioned donations of clothing have flooded into LA from around the world. However, much of this aid, primarily fast fashion pieces, arrives in overwhelming quantities, often going unused and unwanted. Instead of providing relief, it fuels a cycle of overconsumption, with countless items ultimately ending up in landfills rather than on the backs of those they were intended to help.
Clothing needs are individual
No item of clothing can be a “one size fits all”. In times of crisis, generic donations often arrive without regard for seasonality, personal preferences, or varying sizes, leaving a surplus of untouched goods. If you truly want to give from your wardrobe, consider donating directly to impacted family or friends who will genuinely wear and benefit from the pieces.
Relief workers are overwhelmed
Sorting and distributing clothing requires significant time and resources—time that could be better spent addressing urgent needs, especially when a crisis is ongoing. This is why many major relief organizations accept only monetary donations, ensuring aid reaches those who need it most, efficiently and effectively.
Most clothing will go unused
When donated in excess, clothing becomes impossible to sort and distribute productively, leaving only one fate for many of these items—landfills. Instead of helping wildfire victims rebuild their wardrobes, countless well-meaning contributions end up as waste. Fast fashion materials can sometimes take hundreds of years to decompose, only exacerbating pollution and climate change—the very forces driving these devastating natural disasters.
How to support wildfire relief instead
Instead of fueling more fast fashion consumption, wildfire relief organizations need financial support above all else. Monetary donations enable immediate assistance for affected residents and independent LA businesses, helping provide essential items like blankets or temporary housing for vulnerable families.
Consider donating to the following trusted organizations to support victims of the recent wildfires:
American Red Cross (Los Angeles Region)
California Community Foundation
LA Fire Department Foundation
Give back to LA with dāl
To play a small part in helping to restore our local communities, dāl is offering 30% off all online orders with the code: LOVELA30 to support wildfire relief. A portion of these proceeds will go directly to the American Red Cross to support those affected by the fires and their fallout.
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Capsule II, photographed at the Banta House in the Hollywood Hills.