Blog | Op Shops Near Me

Second hand clothing to overtake fast fashion

Move over fast fashion, second-hand clothing is the next big thing. New York University business professor and renowned tech pundit Scott Galloway predicts global sales of used clothing will be "a bigger business within nine years than fast fashion".

"The new disrupter in retail, the new gangster that’s going to create hundreds of billions in shareholder value is the second-hand resale market," Mr Galloway said, speaking at the INFORM News Media Summit 2019. "It’s being driven by young people."

Kara Otter, founder and creative designer at Karameleon Australia, specialises in signature '90s second-hand fashion.Credit:Lyndal Irons Mr Galloway said the second-hand clothing market "ticks a lot of boxes in terms of trends", including concerns over sustainability and the fact 30-year-olds have less disposabl…

Dig Through The Racks At The 11 Coolest Op Shops In Brisbane

By Ranyhyn Laine When it comes to op shopping, Brisbane is a tried and tested stomping ground for those out to find a bargain. However, if you weren’t born with a truffle pig-like ability to sniff out second hand wardrobe gold, the hard part can be knowing exactly where the prime locations are—the ones where you’ll find more than just dozens of Target tops and old Supre jeans. Luckily, we’ve done the scouring for you, so all you need to do is raid your money jar, because it’s time to pop some tags. Here's our hit-list of the best op shops in Brisbane to scour for anything from designer jackets to that perfect vintage tee. Vinnies NEWSTEAD If it’s high end designer labels without the designer price tags you’re after, Vinnies in Newstead is where you’ll find them. A rack at the very front is the spot to pick up uber luxury brands like Moschino and Gucci (though you’ll pay a bit more than your usual op shop prices for them), but dive deep into the racks at the back for almo…

New Zealand MPs share their love of thrifting

'A thrill of subtle subversion': New Zealand MPs share their love of thrifting Aotearoa MPs are notorious for their love of ‘op-shopping’, and have offered advice to their US counterparts on the joy of buying second-hand Eleanor Ainge Roy in Queenstown Used clothing and other household goods for sale at Wastebusters, a popular thrift / op shop in Wanaka, New Zealand. Photograph: Hugh Mitton/Alamy Stock Photo

After the US election, congresswoman Cori Bush kicked off a conversation on Twitter about the high cost of acquiring a professional work wardrobe for Washington, saying she was heading to a secondhand shop to stock up.

“The reality of being a regular person going to Congress is that it’s really expensive to get the business clothes I need for the Hill. So I’m going thrift shopping tomorrow,” she wrote.

B…

Australia’s second-hand trade is booming

Australia's second-hand trade is booming as people clear out cupboards in lockdown Kirsta Hawkins runs two second-hand clothing stores in Melbourne. Source: SBS

Second-hand retailers in Australia are seeing more people donating unwanted items amid the coronavirus pandemic, as well as shopping for pre-loved clothes, accessories and equipment online.

By Sandra Fulloon Alex Leung left his career in finance to start re-selling luxury handbags. It was a good move, the 35-year-old says. “Our bag sales have tripled during coronavirus,” he told SBS News. “Our inbox is constantly flooded out, and we are actually struggling to even process all the queries.” “A lot of people may have lost their jobs, so they're clearing out their cupboards and they're selling some of their items, and some are quite valuable.” Alex Leung traded a career in fin…

Why I’m obsessed with country op-shops

Besides sniffing out local bakeries, on any roadtrip my first stop in a new town is always the antique shop. I map journeys not by renowned wineries, lauded restaurants or boutique spa hotels, but what online reviewers rated as the best purveyors of old wares in an area. The lure is twofold: there just might be a bargain hidden away, and you can learn much about an area by seeing what has been left behind.

Right now we can’t visit the pyramids or Stonehenge, but we can delve into our own history by fossicking in the dusty aisles of a junk shop for artefacts with local provenance. I love going through wooden milk crates of old photos showing the town before footpaths were laid or smiling newlyweds outside the Town Hall. Or reading postcards from someone’s Aunty Betty on the wonders of Dunk Island or picturing tartan and bagpipes from cousin Janet’s visit to Sc…

What can I donate?

Decided it’s time to declutter? Or the kids have outgrown their clothes, but they’re still in excellent condition? By donating your pre-loved items to Vinnies they will get a new life, support Australians doing it tough and reduce landfill and the impact on the environment. Vinnies shops need your great quality items to help fund Vinnies programs across the country that support 1.3 million vulnerable Australians each year. Thank you so much for your wonderful donations! What can I donate? When considering whether something can be donated to Vinnies, our rule of thumb is if you’d give it to a friend, then it’s ok to give to Vinnies. Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and accessories Homewares, including manchester Kids toys Books, CDs and DVDs Furniture (check your local Vinnies can take furniture) Some Vinnies shops take electrical goods; please call your local shop before dropping off What can’t I donate? It takes a lot of money and volunte…

Adelaide’s best op shops

Your must-read guide to Adelaide’s best op shops (which also help animals) Love op shops and helping animals? Why not visit one of RSPCA South Australia’s seven op shops and help a good cause? It’s easy on your bank balance, kind to the environment and you’re helping 10,000 vulnerable animals who enter RSPCA South Australia’s care every year. All while giving you a retail therapy high! With op shops sprawled across metropolitan Adelaide, there is surely a store near you. Here is a handy guide to some of the best op shops in town – showcasing their best quirks and what they are most popular for. So what are you waiting for? Come along and visit an op shop as a way of celebrating the warmer weather! RSPCA Blackwood Op Shop Tucked away in a little array of shops in the picturesque Adelaide Hills, you will always find a treasure at Blackwood. Don’t be fooled by its small size – this op shop has lots of heart and soul, and it’s always packed to the rafters…

Op shops have ‘best days ever’ as COVID-19 restrictions ease

Op shops have 'best days ever' as COVID-19 restrictions ease, warn of 'extremely difficult' period to come By Megan Kinninment Volunteers at the Katie Rose Cottage op on the Sunshine Coast.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Megan Kinninment)

While retail across Australia takes a battering from COVID-19, op-shopping is booming.

Key points: Queensland op shops reopened doors from May 18 after COVID-19 shutdowns Op shops have reported a boom in trading while other retail sectors have crashed Vinnies anticipates a new wave of clients when job grants end

Op shops reopened in Queensland on May 18 to a surge of eager customers, with some charities reporting their largest trading weeks on record.

Sunshine Coast charity Katie Rose Cottage operates four op shops and raise $400,000 net each year to help fund a 24/7 palliative care hospice in Doonan.

Chief execu…

How second-hand stores are adapting to increasing fast-fashion donations

Second-hand store volunteers and workers are working harder having to sort through cheap clothing to get to items that are good enough to put on store shelves.

Key points: The number of donated fast-fashion goods is increasing Second-hand stores are trying to find innovative ways to repurpose unsellable goods University of South Australia Associate Professor Deirdre Tedmanson said people need to rethink their purchasing behaviour

Emma Mertens has witnessed this trend over the past 11 years working as a paid sorter for a Lifeline store at Port Pirie in South Australia's Mid North.

"The quality of clothing has actually gone down. I feel things aren't as well made as what they used to be," she said.

"We have an A-grade section which goes straight to our shops, that's at 20 per cent whereas years ago, it was around the 50 per cent mark.

"We've also got a…

Are you an accidental dumper? Make sure your donation counts

Items dumped outside charities and charity bins cost millions to clean up but research shows that 50 per cent of people who leave items outside charity shops or beside donation bins don’t realise they often end up in the bin.

NSW EPA Executive Director Waste Operations Carmen Dwyer said the accidental dumper problem could be fixed. “Leaving items outside means they can be damaged by vandals or the weather and illegally dumped goods burden charities with the disposal costs,” Ms Dwyer said. New research from the NSW Environment Protection Authority shows that it costs NSW charities $7.3 million a year to clean up items left outside charity shops and donation bins. “These people that think they are doing the right thing by leaving their quality unwanted items outside a store or beside a full charity bin need to know that charities still want those items – they just want them in good condition.” “Let’s put an end to accidental dump…