I would like to give my baby's used clothes, which are mainly cotton babygrows, to an organisation that will send them to developing countries, preferably in Africa. Where would be the best place to send them so that they are used by mothers rather than being recycled as other garments or sold on for profit for another cause?

Denise Brookes, Buckinghamshire

Given the warm glow to be gained by all involved, finding a worthy home for used baby clothes is surprisingly taxing. Beyond handing them down to friends and family, the easiest and most common route is chucking them, along with all your other unwanted clothing, into the clothes bank at your local tip (or civic amenities site, as they now like to be known). Some local authorities provide a doorstep collection for clothing, but either way it is highly likely to end up in the hands of one of the large textile recycling firms, such as LMB, based in Canning Town, London, which sorts and sends off clothes for resale in Uganda or Hungary.

You could also take your chances with one of the many for-profit clothing collection companies that leave plastic bags on our doorsteps hoping that we will fill them up. The trouble is - as has been well publicised - it is less than certain how reputable these firms are, and many do little to let you know that they are, in fact, not charities. Or you could take your clothes along to a local "nearly new" sale, organised by the National Childbirth Trust (www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com).

But if you want to know exactly where your baby clothes are headed, and who will benefit from your donation, it is probably best to find a local charity, community, hospital or church group that organises such collections. (There are many informal knitting groups around the UK that make baby clothes for distribution in developing nations - find one and ask if your clothes can tag along.) One charity that collects baby clothes is the Baby Pack Project (freewebs.com/babypackproject). It distributes donated baby clothes - and other accessories - to maternity clinics in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, and was set up in 2005 by a local woman after she saw newborn babies being wrapped in newspaper to keep warm.