Kleiderkammer

What Kleiderkammer does

Kleiderkammer is a community-based clothing assistance service operated by DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz e.V., a registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) and regional chapter of the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) in Brandenburg, Germany. The core operation consists of Kleiderkammern (clothing banks) in Guben and Spremberg, complemented by a distributed network of Kleidercontainer (clothing donation containers) across the Niederlausitz district. Donated clothing is collected, sorted, and redistributed to people in need — including low-income individuals, people in acute emergency situations, and refugees or migrants — who present proof of need and provide a small voluntary donation in exchange. Beyond clothing assistance, the parent organization operates a broader portfolio of social services under the 'Existenzsichernde Hilfe' umbrella, including ambulatory care, first aid training, blood donation coordination (via DRK-Blutspendedienst), senior centers, counseling, self-help groups (SEKIZ), a women's shelter (Frauenhaus) with 10 places, and three certified kindergarten facilities (Kita Waldhaus, Kita Bummi, Kita Kneipp).

The underlying technology stack is effectively non-existent: the organization has no software product, no mobile app, no API, and no proprietary technology platform. Operations are conducted through physical storefronts during limited opening hours (e.g., Tuesdays and Thursdays), with intake via on-site visits and community clothing containers. No AI, machine learning, or digital automation capabilities are deployed.

The business model is a nonprofit charitable funding model. Revenue streams consist of membership fees (recurring contributions from supporting members), monetary donations from individuals and companies, nominal voluntary contributions from clothing recipients, and government contracts/funding from the GKV-Spitzenverband (National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds) and Landkreis Spree-Neiße (the local district administration). Pricing is heavily subsidized: most services including clothing distribution, counseling, and emergency assistance are free or available for a small voluntary donation, with the only disclosed unit price being €3.00 per NADA ear acupuncture session. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on volunteer networks, word-of-mouth, referrals from social services, and a modest social media presence across Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Xing, and X (Twitter).

Name

Kleiderkammer

Legal name

DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz e.V.

Website

https://drk-niederlausitz.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kleiderkammer is a nonprofit clothing donation and redistribution service operated by DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz e.V. in Brandenburg, Germany, providing donated clothing to low-income individuals, people in emergencies, and refugees across Spremberg and Guben.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Guben

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: The DRK Kreisverband generates revenue through membership contributions from supporters who pay monthly or annual fees to support the organization's humanitarian work.
2. Donations: The organization accepts monetary donations from individuals and companies to fund social services including clothing assistance, disaster relief, and community support programs.
3. Clothing donations and nominal fees: Kleiderkammern accept donated clothing from the community and provide clothing to people in need for a small voluntary donation, based on proof of need.
4. Government funding and contracts: The organization receives public funding and contracts from government sources (GKV-Spitzenverband, Landkreis Spree-Neiße) to operate social services including self-help groups, counseling services, and care facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kleiderkammer operates clothing bank services (Kleiderkammern) that collect, sort, and distribute donated clothing to people in need at a small voluntary contribution in exchange for proof of need. The service operates physical locations in Guben and Spremberg under the DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz e.V. umbrella, complemented by clothing donation containers (Kleidercontainer) and clothing shops (Kleiderläden) throughout the Niederlausitz region of Brandenburg, Germany.

Product overview

The DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz e.V. offers a comprehensive portfolio of social services under the 'Existenzsichernde Hilfe' (existential support) umbrella. The Kleiderkammer (clothing bank) services include Kleiderkammer Guben, Kleiderkammer Spremberg, Kleidercontainer (donation containers), and Kleiderläden (clothing shops). These services collect, sort, and distribute donated clothing to people in need at low cost. The organization also provides many other social services including ambulatory care, first aid training, blood donation, childcare facilities (Kitas), senior centers, counseling services, and emergency response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz e.V. Regional chapter of the German Red Cross providing humanitarian services
• DRK Kleiderkammer
• Kita Waldhaus
• Kita Bummi
• Kita Kneipp

Products and services

• Kleiderkammer Guben

Quantifiable outcome

• Millions of people served nationally through DRK Kleiderkammern network

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GKV-SpitzenverbandcoreOthersThe GKV-Spitzenverband (National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds) provides funding for the SEKIZ self-help office operated by DRK Kreisverband Niederlausitz.
• Landkreis Spree-NeißecoreOthersThe district of Spree-Neiße provides funding support for the SEKIZ self-help office and other social services.
• Dussmann Service Deutschland GmbHminorOthersProvides catering services (full meal provision) for Kita facilities including Kita Bummi, Kita Kneipp, and Kita Waldhaus.
• Corona-Schröter-Grundschule GubenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational cooperation between Kita Waldhaus and Corona-Schröter-Grundschule for school readiness and transition support.
• Partner-Kindergarten Nr. 3 Gubin (Poland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border cooperation with Polish kindergarten in Gubin for cultural exchange and joint projects.
• DRK-BlutspendedienstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational DRK Blood Donation Service that coordinates blood collection and supply throughout Germany, with approximately 15,000 blood donations needed daily nationwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO): A major German welfare association providing social services including clothing assistance, senior care, and family support, comparable to DRK as a multi-service nonprofit serving low-income populations.
• Diakonie Deutschland: The Protestant social welfare organization operates clothing assistance, counseling, and shelter services across Germany — a broad-incumbent peer that overlaps with DRK on humanitarian services for vulnerable populations.

Direct peers

• Tafel Deutschland: Germany's largest food and clothing bank network serving low-income individuals, operating donation-based distribution points structurally comparable to the DRK Kleiderkammer service, though at much greater national scale.
• Deutsche Kleiderstiftung: A dedicated German clothing donation foundation that collects and distributes used clothing domestically and internationally, with a closely matching mission around free clothing provision to people in need.
• Berliner Stadtmission: A Berlin-based Protestant social services organization providing clothing distribution, shelter, and emergency aid to people in need, directly comparable to a DRK Kleiderkammer operating in a regional German market.
• DRK Kreisverband Berlin-Stadtrand: A sibling regional chapter of the German Red Cross operating Kleiderkammern and adjacent social services in the Berlin area, with the same operating model, brand, and service mix as the anchor.
• Caritas Kleiderkammer: The Catholic charitable confederation operates clothing banks across Germany using a near-identical model of donated clothing distribution to people in need, directly competing with DRK Kleiderkammern in many municipalities.

Regional players

• Humana People to People: A European secondhand clothing collector and social-purpose retailer operating Kleidercontainer networks in Germany that compete directly with DRK donation-container collection points for household textile donations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/roteskreuz_de
• YouTubeyoutube.com/DRKonline
• Facebookfacebook.com/roteskreuz
• Instagraminstagram.com/drkbundesverband
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kleiderkammer

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kleiderkammer