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Whether you are new to the pre-loved market or an experienced thrifter, there are more options than ever for shopping second hand online and off. Here’s where to start.
Shopping second hand is a treasure hunt
In our globalised world dominated by fast fashion giants, buying vintage and second-hand provides a refreshing (and not to mention, more sustainable) way to shop. It allows us to add items to our wardrobe without using additional resources in the manufacturing process, to give unwanted items a second life, and to discover unique and special pieces along the way. And as more sustainable and ethical consumption increasingly resonates with consumers, vintage and second-hand fashion are becoming ever more popular.
In our globalised world dominated by fast fashion giants, buying vintage and second hand provides a refreshing (and not to mention, more sustainable) way to shop.
In fact, in resale platform thredUP’s 2023 Resale Market and Consumer Trend Report, it is suggested that “the global second-hand market is expected to nearly double by 2027, reaching $350bn.” This prediction comes off the back of massive growth in the sector in recent years, with second-hand growing 28% in 2022 alone.
Shopping for second-hand or vintage fashion is a bit like a treasure hunt. To find the hidden gems, you often have to dig, scour, examine, research, and occasionally make some wrong turns along the way. This once required hours of sorting through racks of clothing and shelves of shoes, bags, and homewares, but we now have access to all this from the comfort of our own homes thanks to the ease and convenience that is online shopping.
So whether you are new to the pre-loved market or an experienced thrifter, here’s a comprehensive guide on where to buy second hand clothing to help you find your next vintage treasure, either in person or online.
Happy thrifting.
Where to buy second hand clothing online
Vestiaire Collective
A peer-to-peer platform for buying and selling luxury items. Items on the platform are independently authenticated and evaluated to ensure the described condition matches the actual item you receive.
Cerqular Resale
Cerqular is a fashion retailer that makes shopping more sustainably accessible and affordable. Every one of its sellers and products is verified as “sustainable, organic, recycled, carbon neutral, vegan, eco-friendly, or circular”. Going a step further, it helps you shop from sellers closer to you, supporting local businesses.
eBay
The original auction site, eBay is a goldmine for second-hand clothes, and its price bidding format always gives you a shot at getting pieces for less than you originally thought.
thredUP (US and Canada only)
A popular online second hand shopping destination boasting new arrivals daily. It is one of the world’s largest fashion resale marketplaces with over 55,000 brands—from Gap to Gucci—at up to 90% off retail prices.
Thrift+ (UK only)
A social venture that sells your donated clothes and splits all profits equally between you and your nominated charity, while also boasting a huge selection of second hand items to buy.
Farfetch Pre-Owned
A global platform that offers a curated selection of pre-loved luxury items looking for new homes. You can even search by pre-owned Positively Conscious pieces, which is part of the project we at Good On You teamed up with Farfetch to curate.
The RealReal
Empowering consignors and buyers to extend the life of luxury items, The RealReal is a popular luxury reseller that offers a large collection of authenticated designer pieces.
Reluv (AU only)
Reluv is one of Australia’s largest online retailers of second hand clothing and accessories. From new with tags to gently used, plus size to premium brands, if you are looking to shop for clothing and minimise your impact on the planet then Reluv is for you.
Zalando Pre-Owned (Spain, Germany, Poland, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands)
Zalando is offering pre-owned clothes for European customers, all with the usual convenience of Zalando’s services.
AirRobe
The fashion of today largely becomes the waste of tomorrow, and Australia-based AirRobe is tackling this urgent problem through tech innovation—creating a new way to shop and extend the life of your purchases. AirRobe saves details of the purchases you make online so you can later sell them on without the usual admin required when listing items for resale.
Retykle
The go-to place to buy and sell pre-loved maternitywear and kids’ clothing. Children grow so fast that buying and selling second-hand clothes for them just makes sense.
Depop
A peer-to-peer social shopping app commonly used by fashion bloggers where you can list your own items, and purchase from other users.
Vinted
Gain access to a large online community where you can buy and sell pre-loved clothing, boasting more than 25 million members, thousands of brands, and a whole lot of second hand style.
Poshmark (US and Canada only)
A social commerce marketplace to buy and sell new and used clothing, shoes, and accessories.
Second hand store directories
If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, there are plenty of guides and directories that help you locate second hand and vintage stores near you for the classic thrifting experience. Here are a few to browse:
Thrift Stores In London
A handy guide to thrifting in London and the UK by Thrifty Londoner.
Australian OpShop Listing
A detailed list of Australian stores selling goods for the community and charitable organisations.
Opshops
Another good option for Australian and New Zealand op shops, it includes online and in-person options.
The Thrift Shopper
A curated and comprehensive US thrift store directory that lists only charity-driven thrift stores so your purchases and donations will be going to a worthy cause.
The Best Places to Thrift
This article by The Pretty Planeteer lists top thrift store by city across the US, Canada, Europe, and Oceania and also has some useful tips on finding the best places to shop pre-loved IRL.
Google Maps
It may seems obvious, but one of the easiest ways to find charity shops nearby is to jump into your Google Maps app and search phrases such as “charity store”, “thrift shop”, “op shop”, “vintage”, and similar depending on where you live. We suggest you skim over the reviews before popping by—there’s an active community of thrifters and second hand shoppers that review top spots on Google Maps, and their thoughts might help you decide if it’s the right kind of spot for you.
