Trading standards officers are warning residents that a firm making door-to-door collections for old clothes is not acting for charity.

London-based business Olonex Ltd has been leafleting households across Brighton and Hove offering to pick up unwanted clothes and goods, which would be sent to developing countries.

The company asks for everything, from shoes to perfume and, while it declares it is a commercial organisation and not a charity, this is revealed in small print at the bottom of the leaflet.

Brighton and Hove trading standards team and The Argus have received complaints from people who say the wording of the leaflet could fool people into thinking the collections were for charity.

Similar complaints have been made across the South.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has asked the Office of Fair Trading to consider taking legal action against Olonex for misleading advertising.

The authority upheld complaints about the leaflets in February, which it said implied Olonex was a registered charity and did not make clear the company would sell donated clothing for profit.

It said the leaflet was misleading because it asked recipients to "donate" goods and clothing.

The authority ruled against Olonex Ltd and told it to withdraw the leaflet on February 12 but Olonex has never responded to the ASA's ruling and now the company is targeting Brighton and Hove.

Polly Marshall, 38, contacted The Argus after a leaflet was posted through her door in Compton Road, Brighton.

She said: "I'm always happy to clear things out and give it to charity but with this I really wasn't sure the stuff would be going to the right place.

"I don't think it is right for commercial companies to misrepresent themselves. I was immediately quite suspicious and checked the name on the internet."

To her horror, she discovered several web site and news stories detailing complaints against Olonex Ltd.

Ms Marshall said: "It looks like they are going from area to area where people don't know about them and trying their luck."

Lawrie Dale, 42, of Baden Road, Brighton, was also angry about the leaflet he received.

He said: "I immediately thought this looked strange but there are elderly people who might think these people are a charity. It seems they are taking advantage of people's good nature."

Christopher Graham, the ASA's director general, said last May: "This company has shown it has a cynical disregard both for consumers and the truth."

A spokeswoman for the Office of Fair Trading said: "There is the potential for complaints to lead to court action but we cannot comment further until the investigation is completed."

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council's trading standards team said Olonex was not acting illegally but warned people to be on their guard.

She advised people to contact the Charities Commission if they were unsure about a company's intentions.

No one from Olonex was available for comment.