U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland
UFF is a Finnish non-profit foundation operating a nationwide clothing collection service, 25 second-hand retail stores, and wholesale distribution channels, with proceeds funding climate action and development cooperation projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersKlaukkala, Finland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland does
UFF (U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland sr) is a Helsinki-based Finnish non-profit foundation founded in 1987 that operates a circular textile economy as its funding mechanism for climate action and development cooperation. The foundation runs a 24/7 nationwide clothing collection service via containers placed throughout nearly all of Finland, collecting approximately 12 million kg of textiles per year (11.9 million kg in 2024) from a population base of 5.5 million residents.
Collected clothing is sorted and routed through three channels: roughly 9% is sold in UFF's own network of 25 second-hand retail stores (15 in Helsinki, plus locations in Tampere, Espoo, Vantaa, Turku, Jyväskylä and Oulu), 85% is sold wholesale to buyers in Finland, the Baltic countries, other European markets, Africa and Asia, and the remainder goes to recycling or energy recovery (94% reuse rate overall in 2024). The organization also operates a digital loyalty platform (UFFIS, launched January 2025), a sorting-assistance web tool (Lajitteluapuri), and gift cards across all shops.
The retail and wholesale revenue — over €9.5 million directed to societal purposes in 2025 — funds climate work (€7.2M) and development cooperation projects (€2.1M) supporting education, healthcare, food security and economic livelihood in sub-Saharan Africa and India. In 2025 UFF financed 38 projects reaching approximately 450,000 beneficiaries through implementing partners including DAPP Malawi and ADPP Mozambique, with co-funding from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The foundation is a founding member of the international Humana People to People federation, holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, and operates with a headcount of approximately 320 across sales, production, logistics, administration, communications and development cooperation.
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland
- Legal name
- U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland sr
- Website
- https://uff.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- UFF is a Finnish non-profit foundation operating a nationwide clothing collection service, 25 second-hand retail stores, and wholesale distribution channels, with proceeds funding climate action and development cooperation projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Second-hand Retail and Charitable Textile Reuse
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)
- SIC
- Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Textile & Apparel Recycling and Sorting (Non-E-waste) (BPALADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Textile & Apparel Sorting/Recovery Facilities (EUAIADAJ)
Keywords
Where U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Klaukkala
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Sales of Donated Clothes: UFF sells donated, usable clothing through its 25 retail stores across Finland. About 10% of all collected clothes are sold in UFF's own shops in Finland. The sales income forms the financing for climate and global development actions.
- Wholesale Sales of Donated Clothes: The majority of collected clothes (85% in 2024) are sold through wholesale to customers in Finland, Baltic countries, Europe, Africa and Asia. Wholesale customers include retailers who sell the clothes in their own shops or markets.
- Donations and Fundraising: UFF raises funds through private donations for development projects in Africa and India. Donations are sent in full to the target country, with only bank charges deducted. Collection permit RA/2020/1599.
- Gift Cards: Gift cards can be purchased at all UFF shops for any desired amount. The card is valid for one year from purchase at all shops.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One-time purchase | Tasarahapäivät (Flat Price Days) with progressively decreasing prices |
| Other | Monthly | UFFIS Loyalty Program - Points earning and redemption |
| Other | One-time purchase | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UFF operates a national clothing collection and reuse service: it collects unwanted textiles through containers across Finland, sorts them, and sells reusable garments through its own network of 25 second-hand retail stores and through wholesale channels. Proceeds from sales fund climate action and development cooperation projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Supporting offerings include the UFFIS loyalty program, gift cards, a sorting-assistant web tool, and monetary donations targeted to specific overseas projects.
Product overview
UFF (U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland sr) is a Finnish non-profit foundation operating in climate action and development cooperation. The organization runs a clothing collection and recycling service as its primary offering, supplemented by a retail network of second-hand shops and wholesale distribution channels. The product portfolio centers on the clothing collection service (core), which feeds into UFF Second Hand Shops (retail) and wholesale operations, with proceeds funding development cooperation projects in Africa and Asia. Supporting digital products include the UFFIS loyalty program (mobile/web app), Lajitteluapuri sorting assistant tool, and gift cards. Promotional events like Tasarahapäivät drive retail engagement, while monetary donation options support targeted development projects. All operations are financed through clothing sales revenue, not government funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UFFIS: UFF's loyalty customer program that offers special offers, personal benefits and accumulates points for all purchases made at UFF.
Products and services
- Clothing Collection Service 24/7 nationwide clothing and textile collection service with containers placed throughout nearly all of Finland, serving over 5.5 million Finnish residents. Donated textiles are sorted for reuse, recycling or energy recovery.
- UFF Second Hand Shops Network of 25 second-hand retail stores across Finland (Helsinki, Tampere, Espoo, Vantaa, Turku, Jyväskylä, Oulu) selling donated, sorted and quality-checked clothing, vintage items, accessories, shoes and home textiles. Some shops specialize in vintage-only collections. Over one million customers visited annually.
- Wholesale Clothing Sales
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% of collected clothes directed to reuse in 2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- FrendieminorFinnish social enterprise developing digital services for reducing loneliness and supporting friendship. All UFF shops have been designated as official Frendie meeting places, offering low-threshold environments for people to meet through the app.
- DAPP MalawicoreDevelopment cooperation partner implementing education and livelihood projects in Malawi. UFF funded projects in Dowa and Balaka regions in 2025, including teacher training for basic education and small-scale farming projects.
- ADPP MosambikcoreDevelopment cooperation partner implementing education and community development projects in Mozambique. UFF funded projects in Namacurra and Mocuba regions in 2025 focusing on basic education and rural livelihood improvement.
- Humana People to PeoplecoreUFF is one of the founding members of the international Humana People to People federation of humanitarian organizations. The network enables sharing of best practices in development cooperation, clothing recycling and communications. Member organizations operate independently and locally while benefiting from the collaborative network.
- Vammaiskumppanuus rycoreFinnish disability partnership organization collaborating with UFF on development projects to ensure disability perspectives are included in all four projects starting in 2025.
- Helsingin seudun kauppakamari ryminorMember of the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce
- Kaupan liitto ryminorMember of the Finnish Commerce Federation
- Muoti- ja urheilukauppa ryminorMember of the Fashion and Sports Trade Association
- RENET Uudelleenkäyttöverkosto ryminorMember of the RENET Reuse Network
- Suomalaiset kehitysjärjestöt – Fingo ryminorMember of the Finnish Development NGOs Fingo umbrella organization
- Suomen Jäte- ja Materiaalikierron Osaajat ryminorMember of the Finnish Waste and Materials Cycling Experts association
- Klädinsamling för miljö och global utveckling srminorPartner organization for clothing collection operations in Finland. Collection is implemented in collaboration between U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland sr and Klädinsamling för miljö och global utveckling sr.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Myrorna (Stockholms Stadsmission): Swedish second-hand retail chain owned by the Stockholm City Mission, operating thrift stores nationwide with proceeds funding social programs. Mirrors UFF's charity-funded second-hand retail model and is a direct Nordic counterpart.
- Humana People to People: International federation of humanitarian organizations of which UFF is a founding member. Operates a global network of clothing collection and second-hand retail with parallel development cooperation programs, making it the closest organizational and strategic peer to UFF.
- Fretex: Norway's leading charitable textile reuse organization, combining nationwide clothing collection, second-hand retail stores, and wholesale export with employment programs. Operates the same integrated collection-retail-wholesale-charity model as UFF, making it the most directly comparable Nordic peer.
- Kirkens Korshær Genbrug: Denmark's largest charitable second-hand chain operated by the Danish Church Aid, with retail stores across Denmark funded by donations and volunteer work. Combines a comparable thrift retail footprint with a humanitarian funding mission similar to UFF.
- Helsingin Kierrätyskeskus: Finnish reuse organization based in the Helsinki region, operating second-hand retail and donation acceptance with a charitable and environmental mission. A direct domestic peer operating in the same Finnish market and same product category as UFF.
Others
- Renet Uudelleenkäyttöverkosto ry: Finnish reuse network of which UFF is a member. Functions as an industry association promoting reuse in Finland rather than a direct competitor, making it a relevant ecosystem peer for understanding the broader reuse landscape in which UFF operates.
Broad incumbents
- Salvation Army Family Stores: Global charity operating one of the world's largest thrift retail networks, with donation-driven second-hand stores in many countries. A broader incumbent sharing the charity-funded thrift retail concept but with much wider geographic and product scope than UFF.
- Oxfam Shops: UK-headquartered charity running extensive second-hand shop networks across multiple European countries with proceeds funding international development. A broader incumbent sharing the charity-thrift model but operating with a much larger retail footprint than UFF.
- Finnish Red Cross second-hand shops (Spr-kierrätys): Finnish Red Cross operates second-hand retail in Finland with a charitable funding model parallel to UFF. A broader domestic incumbent sharing the charity-funded second-hand concept and competing for the same donor and shopper pool in Finland.
- I:CO (SOEX Group): Global textile collection and reuse infrastructure provider operating take-back programs for apparel brands and retailers. Provides industrial-scale collection and sorting services comparable to UFF's logistics backbone, but operates B2B rather than as a retail-first charity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland social profiles
Digital presenceU-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland
What does U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland do?
UFF operates a national clothing collection and reuse service: it collects unwanted textiles through containers across Finland, sorts them, and sells reusable garments through its own network of 25 second-hand retail stores and through wholesale channels. Proceeds from sales fund climate action and development cooperation projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Supporting offerings include the UFFIS loyalty program, gift cards, a sorting-assistant web tool, and monetary donations targeted to specific overseas projects.
Is U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland a public or private company?
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland founded?
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland was founded in 1987. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland based?
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland is headquartered in Klaukkala, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales of Donated Clothes are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Sales of Donated Clothes, donations and Fundraising and gift Cards.
Who are U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Myrorna (Stockholms Stadsmission), Humana People to People, Fretex, Kirkens Korshær Genbrug and Helsingin Kierrätyskeskus. Renet Uudelleenkäyttöverkosto ry is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Salvation Army Family Stores, Oxfam Shops, Finnish Red Cross second-hand shops (Spr-kierrätys) and I:CO (SOEX Group).
Does U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland have an API?
No public API is recorded for U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland.
What industry is U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland in?
U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland's product category is Second-hand Retail and Charitable Textile Reuse. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPALADAL, Textile & Apparel Recycling and Sorting (Non-E-waste), with a secondary code of EUAIADAJ, Textile & Apparel Sorting/Recovery Facilities. Its NAICS code is 458110 and its SIC code is 5651.