Five reasons to shop secondhand

You’ll save more than money at our Op Shops 

For some people, thrift shopping can be an overwhelming experience. When you walk into a store with a lot of one-off items and shelves full of unique pieces, it can be hard to know where to start. 

That’s why to help you find those special pieces, we have recently started on some changes to make things easier for you to shop, including sorting items by size, style and department, as well as tailoring our product selection to your local community. Check in with your local op shop to see what changes are happening in your area.

To help you op shop with confidence, we’ve pulled together some of our favourite reasons for shopping secondhand!

1 Save money

Choosing to buy second hand will go a long way to saving you money each month, and will help you work to any budget you have set for yourself. We monitor our pricing, so you can always find great value pieces in our op shops. Second-hand goods can often be just as good, if not better than items you find at traditional stores. Since so many things today are made quickly and cheaply, thrifted goods give you an opportunity to find things you really love at a price you can afford.

2 Save landfill

Buying secondhand means you will be positively contributing to our environment. Giving items the opportunity for a ‘second life’ keeps them out of landfill. Purchasing secondhand clothing also positively contributes to the decrease in Australia’s textile demand, subsequently reducing additional resources used to create new clothing, and reducing further waste. 

3 Save children

As well as supporting children to have a better climate for the future, you’re helping them in the here and now. A dollar spent in a Save the Children Op Shop means a dollar toward a child’s education, a meal, or the medicines they need to stay protected from disease here in Australia and overseas.

4 Save time 

Knowing that you can visit one place for a lot of your needs, makes shopping secondhand a lot of fun, and efficient for those who are time-poor. As Natalie Shehata, our National Volunteer Eco-stylist points out, “Save the Children Op Shops provide a one-stop destination where you’re able to find beautiful vintage garments, school shoes for the kids, and affordable home-wares for young people who are moving out on their own for the first time.”

5 Stay stylish

With so many brands mass producing products, it can be hard to find clothing and homewares that express your personal style. Natalie describes Save Op Shops as “a haven for individual and quality pieces”. “Whether it be a handbag, shoes or new pillows - you can always find something to express your mood”, she says. “It is about personal expression and play, knowing that there are many decades of clothing to choose from, offers each individual the possibility to choose pieces that best represent their identity. Secondhand to me is a celebration of difference!”

Shopping secondhand is a wonderful way to be able to give back to the community, while investing in quality, unique pieces. Best of all, the prices at Save the Children make it an op-shop for everyone! 

You can find your local Save Op Shops here.