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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…

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…

Second Hand Stores

Australia’s second-hand trade is booming

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