Most of us are now well-aware of the fashion industry’s negative social and environmental impact and we’re wanting to do our part to change it.
One way is to buy second hand. Doing so can prevent old clothing from ending up in landfills or incinerators, as well as help to save water and energy and reduce carbon emissions, all of which are used when new clothes are made. Plus, buying used clothing can more affordable too, as pieces are usually a fraction of their original price.
While Australia doesn’t have quite the second hand clothing and accessories scene as you’ll find in the US or UK, its offering does continue to grow each year, particularly with the online and app options. Ahead we’re sharing some of the best online stores and apps to buy and sell second hand clothes and accessories in Australia.
Depop
Depop is one of the world’s best-known fashion marketplace apps, with headquarters in London, but a presence in the US, Italy and Australia. Once you’ve signed up to it with a phone number and e-mail address and created a profile for yourself, you can use it to buy and sell clothes. It’s free to list your items, but you’ll be charged a 10% Depop fee on the transaction once anything is sold. You’ll also be charged a transaction fee by PayPal.
High End
High End started as an invite-only Facebook Group in Australia in 2014, but in November this year, the brand launched an AI-powered app. The brand sells only designer pieces, with some of the highest performing brands on the site including Chanel, Hermes and Loewe. Once you’ve bought an item, it undergoes an authentication and quality control check.
The RealReal
The RealReal is a luxury consignment brand with 19 physical stores in the US, as well as an online store that ships to Australia. It prides itself as having one of the most rigorous authentication processes among online marketplaces and well as having the largest selection. You’ll find on its site everything from men’s and women’s clothing, to watches and homewares. Its best-selling fashion names include Christian Louboutin, Prada and Gucci.
Facebook Marketplace
Any round-up of top online second-hand shops wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Facebook Marketplace, which lets you buy and sell new and used clothes, among other items, like electronics and furniture, and is connected to your Facebook profile. In this way, the process of buying and selling is less anonymous than other second-hand online stores and apps – you might even be able to see if you have mutual friends with the buyer or seller. It’s important to note that the platform isn’t heavily moderated, so you won’t be guaranteed designer authenticity and should be careful with your safety when meeting to buy or sell items.
The Closet
The Closet is one of Australia’s largest online fashion thrift stores, selling wares for up to 90% off their original price. Brand names include Witchery, French Connection and Country Road. The site offers free shipping for orders over $200. If you’re looking to sell your clothes, create an account, order free thrift bags and send them back filled with the clothes you’re looking to sell, as well as a completed consignment form that you can download online.
Thriftd
Online-only Thriftd Australia started in 2015 with an eBay store and a mission to reduce the number of good quality fashion items sent to landfill. Today, the online shop works with local charities and small businesses to resell their excess stock, putting it online so it be bought anywhere in the world. Each item is carefully assessed, cleaned and repaired if needed.
eBay
Founded in 1995, eBay has millions of monthly visitors in Australia, with a handbag listed every two minutes in the country. The site reports Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton are the top handbag brands listed. In May 2023, it launched its authenticity guarantee for designer handbags listed over $350. The platform also has Afterpay integration so you can pay off your purchase in instalments.
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Sangeeta Kocharekar
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