One of the barriers when shopping sustainable fashion brands is often the price. For many buying a £150 dress is simply out of the question. Ethical clothing is more expensive because of the manufacturing process, living wage for garment workers and the quality of the fabric being used, so the price is totally understandable. However, if you’re striving to shop ethically and have a limited budget, just remember that the single most ethical and sustainable way to buy clothes is to shop second-hand. There are plenty of shops online and in your local area where you can do this, and you’ll often find you can even use coupons (like those found if you visit this page) in these sorts of shops. So in this post, we’ll look at three places you can donate and shop second-hand clothing online.
If lockdown has left you missing the pleasure of dropping off your donation to your local charity shop or you’ve found yourself feeling nostalgic about rummaging for second-hand treasures to add to your wardrobe, then fear not!
1. Thrift+ Store
Thrift+ was founded by Joe Metcalfe to provide charity shoppers with the same quality online shopping experience as regular clothing retailers. Thrift+ aim to provide the same level of shopping experience as Amazon or ASOS. Joe left his job in 2014 with the mission of bringing charity shops online. In 2015, he built and launched the UK’s first Click & Collect app for high street charity shops. Since then, he has been working to create a service that encourages high quality donations by offering convenience and rewarding generosity.
Each year the UK spends £1.4bn on second-hand clothes from charity retailers. This money helps to fund 400 charities, with 40% going to the 10 largest shop networks.
There are lots of smaller charities that simply don’t have the capacity to open bricks ‘n’ mortar shops, this is where Thrift+ comes in. Thrift+ gives 160,000 charities in the UK the ability to raise valuable funds.
Shopping on Thrift+ is super simple, just like a regular online clothing website. You’ll find a range of menswear and womenswear from high-street retailers, as well as some high-end labels like Alexander McQueen and Burberry. You can also donate your unwanted items by requesting a donation bag, this will be sent to you in the post, you fill it up and return for free.
Visit: Thrift+ Store
2. Oxfam Online Shop
Another great place to shop second-hand clothing online is good old Oxfam. You’re probably familiar with Oxfam shops on your local high-street, well now they are selling online too. Oxfam is a leading aid and development charity with over 70 years of experience, working with partners in 94 countries worldwide. In their online store you’ll find nearly new donated women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, books, charity gifts and lots more treasures. Sadly, they are unable to accept donations during lockdown, so you’ll just have to shop for now.
Visit: Oxfam Online Shop
3. Re-Fashion
Similarly, to Thrift+ clothing destination Re-Fashion is a great if you’re looking to shop second-hand clothing online. They strive to help charities that are unable to open high-street shops to raise money from selling donated clothes online. Re-Fashion proudly partner with various registered charities including CoppaFeel!, Make-A-Wish® UK, my AFK, Women’s Aid and Breast Cancer Now, that all do vital work in the UK. If you’re looking to make a donation, the process is super easy, you simply order a donation bag online, fill it with clothes you no longer wear and post it back for free. Re-Fashion only sell and accept donations of women’s clothing. You can shop by brand and size so it’s a jolly straight-forward shopping experience.
Visit: Re-Fashion
Recycling in the present will save our future.
Christine
