New life for leftover home goods
Every year, Australians in crisis are forced to rebuild their lives from nothing, while perfectly good homewares sit in warehouses or are sent to landfill.
Good360 Australia exists to change that. The charity connects surplus goods from retailers and brands to people experiencing hardship year-round, and during its seasonal Home Campaign (April – June), it shines a spotlight on the growing need for home-related essentials, helping to restore dignity, stability and comfort, one kettle, mattress or set of towels at a time.
As it marks 10 years of impact, Good360 is inviting Large Format Retailers to play a direct role in solving two of Australia’s biggest problems: product waste and social need.
A solution hiding in plain sight
There are over $4.5 billion worth of new, unsold goods in Australia each year, including thousands of tonnes of furniture, homewares, textiles, clothing, and electrical goods sent to landfill, lying idle in warehouses or showroom floors or no longer saleable as a result of online returns. At the same time, 1 in 8 Australians live below the poverty line, many without access to the essentials that make a house feel like a home.
“Poverty isn’t always visible,” says Good360 Founder and Managing Director, Alison Covington AM. “You might walk into a home and see bare floors, no fridge, a mattress on the ground. People are living this way after domestic violence, natural disasters, or just trying to survive the rising cost of living.”
Good360 addresses this gap by redistributing donated new goods, with the Home Campaign highlighting the importance of home comforts during the colder months. These items are matched to vetted charities and disadvantaged schools, who then get them to the people who need them most.
It’s a model that supports people through key life transitions including moving into temporary housing, setting up a new place after escaping violence, or rebuilding after bushfires or floods. A donated table becomes a shared meal and a blanket becomes warmth through a winter night for someone who cannot afford to turn the heat on.
A decade of doing things differently
Launched in 2015, Good360 has connected more than $505 million worth of goods, 43.7 million items to over 4,500 charities and schools across Australia. At the same time, they have helped 4.8 million people while diverting over 7,600 tonnes of goods from landfill.
In June, Good360 marked its 10-year anniversary with a special event that brought together 100 industry representatives, donors, charity partners, and government advocates including the Premiere of NSW, the Hon. Chris Minns MP, many of whom have played a critical role in Good360’s success.
The strong turnout and enthusiastic support reinforced the value of cross-sector collaboration in creating sustainable, long-term social impact – a fitting backdrop for the continued success of the Home Campaign. You can watch a video of Good360’s 10 years of impact here.
Big-box backing with big impact
Large Format Retail Association retailers and members including Amphis, Bedshed, Domayne, IKEA, Oz Design Furniture, Harvey Norman, Spotlight ad Stockland have played a key role in making the Home Campaign possible.
Harvey Norman and IKEA Australia for instance are two standout supporters, donating everything from kitchen items to full dining table and chair sets, lounges, mattresses or furnishing a community centre with everything they need – all brand new, but may be returns, end of line, or large, purposeful donations to recover after a natural disaster.
“Every home should be a place of comfort and dignity, but for many Australians, particularly people recovering from natural disaster or other crises, the basics are out of reach. Through our partnership with Good360, Harvey Norman has donated essential items like white goods, furniture and household appliances to help families create safe and comfortable homes. We’re proud to see how these donations provide not just practical support, but also a sense of security and hope,” said Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page.
Similarly, IKEA Australia’s donations have been instrumental in helping people settle into new beginnings after crisis or trauma. Their support not only addresses basic needs, but also aligns with broader commitments to sustainability and social impact.
“At IKEA Australia, we are wholly committed to reducing waste through circularity – making sure each item is reused, repurposed or given a second life for as long as possible. Donating IKEA products through our partnership with Good360 Australia is one way we can do this, while at the same time making a positive impact on the lives of those in need in communities all over the country,” said Renea Robson the Country Sustainability Manager at IKEA Australia.
Beyond shelter: restoring a sense of home
The Home Campaign is about more than four walls and a roof. It’s about bringing back the basics that allow someone to feel safe, clean, and in control again.
That might mean providing a family affected by floods with essential furnishings, or giving a young person exiting care their first set of kitchenware. This can also look like a family battling with the cost of living and simply trying to survive by accessing kitchen consumables like glad wrap or clothing and shoes for when the kids outgrow their current size.
“Everything we provide through Good360 is new, brand-name, and giftable, not hand-me-downs,” says Covington. “That’s important. It tells people: you matter. You’re worthy of quality.”
Upon receiving homewares, drink bottles, stationery and accessories from Good360, Women’s Safety Services said, “Donations like these provide much-needed basics to our women and children fleeing from domestic and family violence. Being able to provide these items enables our organisation to fund larger items (car repairs, electricity costs, etc) for the women and children. We can’t thank Good360 and its sponsors enough for the amazing donations!”
Strategic campaigns aligned to real needs
Good360 structures its work around four national campaigns that respond to Australia’s most urgent needs: Education, Home, Hygiene, and Play.
Each campaign runs seasonally to match times of peak demand but goods are distributed all year round. The Home Campaign, running from April through to the end of June, targets the colder months, when secure and comfortable living conditions are most urgent, particularly after Australia’s peak disaster season.
These campaigns help focus both product donations and funding, ensuring every item reaches the right hands at the right time.
Retailers who align with these seasonal efforts can maximise the social impact of their unsold goods, while contributing meaningfully to the communities they operate in
Why now?
The demand for essential household goods is growing fast with over 2.9 million Australians (11%) saying they can’t afford the essentials their family needs to live comfortably at home. 82% of charities report that demand for non-food aid has never been higher and 58% say that more people are seeking help for the first time. People who need help setting up a home often come to these charities with nothing but the clothes they were wearing when they left. At the same time, inflation and cost of living pressures mean that more retailers have slow-moving, returns or unsold stock they can no longer shift.
Good360 offers a clear, efficient way to solve both issues and deliver measurable social and environmental outcomes.
For donors, the process is simple:
- Good360 receives the list of stock and lists goods on its online platform.
- Charities and schools order what they need, when they need it.
- Goods are delivered by Good360 or through the donor where preferred, and
- Impact data is shared back to donors.
The call to action: join the Circle of Good
Large Format Retailers have a unique opportunity, and responsibility, to be part of this solution. Donating unsold household goods:
- Helps vulnerable Australians restore stability and comfort
- Reduces landfill and environmental impact
- Lowers storage and disposal costs
- Aligns with ESG and social impact goals
- Builds brand goodwill and employee pride
Don’t have goods to give?
Monetary donations help fund the storage, sorting, and shipping that brings every item to the people who need it most. Good360’s Circle of Good recognises all partners working together to create real, lasting change. And there’s always room for more.
Looking ahead
As Good360 enters its second decade, the team is focused on expanding capacity, increasing donations, and reaching more communities with the essential goods they deserve.
The message to Large Format Retailers is clear: If you have goods you can’t sell, you still have the power to do good. Those items could become a fresh start for someone else.
“In 10 years, we’ve proven what’s possible with the right partnerships,” says Covington. “With your help, the next 10 can be even bigger and better.”
👉 Learn more or become a donor at www.good360.org.au
Sources
- $4.5 billion in wasted goods annually: Deloitte Access Economics Report, commissioned by Good360 Australia (2025).
https://good360.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Good360-Australia-Deloitte-Access-Economics-Report-2025-Update.pdf - 1 in 8 Australians living below the poverty line: Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Poverty in Australia 2022 Report.
https://www.acoss.org.au/poverty/ - Good360 10-Year Impact Statistics: Good360 Australia
https://good360.org.au/ - Demand for household goods and quote from Katie Page (Harvey Norman CEO): Good360 Australia, Material Deprivation in Australia (2025).
https://good360.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Good360_Digital_Fighting-Material-Deprivation_Report_2025-1.pdf - Charity demand %: Good360 Australia Communities in Need Report (2024)
https://good360.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Good360-Community-Needs-Report-2024.pdf
