Five unusual places to find second hand clothing online

Where are the best places to find second hand clothing online? I have been doing a bit of research and here are some you may not have heard of.

When I started my year of buying only second hand, I didn’t think sourcing decent clothing would be an issue. There are always plenty of bargains in the charity shops, right?

Then along came another lock down, and all the charity shops closed again. This has made me look a bit further than usual and I have found some great sites to find second hand clothing online that I want to share.

If you have had yet another lock down declutter (I foresee a new tribe of lock down minimalists!), some of them are also very good places to get rid of your old clothing too.

Don’t forget to come join my Facebook group, My Second Hand & Frugal Life for friendly chat and inspiration on all things frugal.

Reasons to find second hand clothing online

There are many reasons why you might want to buy at least some of your clothes second hand.

It’s good for your wallet

It will save you money. You can pick up the most amazing bargains when you buy used clothing. Of course, cheap fast fashion items become even cheaper second hand, but you can also locate quirky vintage items and higher end pieces that are much better quality and will last.

It’s good for people and planet

Buying second hand clothing is good for the environment. Our current obsession with fast fashion is causing untold damage to the planet and to the people involved in producing it.

You may be delighted to find a new top for under £5, but the only way this can be achieved is for those who work in developing countries to be under paid and work in poor conditions.

I would rather save money on clothing by buying second hand and when I do buy something new, purchase it from an ethical company.

It helps promote a circular economy

Wearing second hand clothing helps to cut some of the wasteful elements of the fashion industry, saving on the materials, water and energy involved in producing and transporting the original product and keeping materials in use for as long as possible.

You can develop your own look

By buying second hand, you can develop your own style, rather than slavishly following trends. One of the main problems with the fashion industry is that it promotes a throwaway culture by constantly bringing in new styles and making your old clothes feel old fashioned.

If you ignore fashion trends and develop a style that suits your personality and body shape, you can create a look that defies fashion and is truly unique and timeless.

As well as all of the above, if you find second hand clothing online it will save you time and stop the temptations involved in a physical shopping trip.

Where to find second hand clothing online

Most of us know about using sites such as eBay, Depop and Vinted to find second hand clothing online. However, here are five that you may not have heard of. They aren’t necessarily cheap, especially those focussing on vintage. However, you will find quality items and the odd bargain as well.

Thrift+

The great thing about Thrift+ if you have had a declutter is that you can donate your clothes to them as well as buying new to you items.

This is a good way to earn a small amount from your good quality clothing and donate to charity at the same time. If you are short of time, you don’t have to spend hours listing on eBay or Vinted. You just order a bag from Thrift+ and return it to them full of your unwanted items. They then photograph and list them. If something sells, they take 33% commission and you and the charities split the rest.

If you are looking to buy, the prices are on a par with eBay, with some nice quality items. What I don’t like about the site is that they don’t show the whole item if it is something long like a maxi dress or a jumpsuit. Other than that, it is easy to navigate.

You can buy men’s and women’s clothing on Thrift+ but not children’s currently. If you are looking for a particular designer, check out the higher end items on the Thrift+ boutique.

Re-fashion

Re-fashion works in a similar way to Thrift+. However, after they take their cut (around 40%), the rest of the profits go to the Rieves Foundation, a charity which ‘supports sustainability to ensure better outcomes for our planet and the people who live on it’.

Although you won’t personally earn any money through your donation, you also won’t have to find a charity shop willing to accept your donation.

As well as pre-loved clothing, you can buy and sell upcycled items and purchase rag bags. Great for quilters, crafters and clothing upcyclers.

Re-fashion currently only sells women’s clothing.

Beyond Retro

Beyond Retro focusses on vintage clothing for men and women, but also sells a small range of one-off reworked items.

They have a huge line in vintage sports wear and masses of denim, as well as vintage dresses, suits, etc. Prices are fair for vintage items, although some are more retro than true vintage. Their sale is excellent, with many items half price.

I like that you can shop by era, as well as size and clothing type.

My Vintage

My Vintage sells true vintage items, along with some new with tags retro clothing. They have some great examples of vintage clothing – a 1970s orange swirly maxi dress grabbed my attention for £55 – but they are quite expensive compared to the other websites here. Having said that, they have some really unusual items that are hard to source.

If you want to create your own unique style, this could be the place to look.  They sell men’s and women’s clothing, along with homeware and accessories.

Micolet

If you are looking for more contemporary second hand clothing online, then Micolet is worth exploring. It sells for men, women and children, the only one on my list to cater for kids (although their children’s range isn’t second hand).

I think prices are reasonable – on a par with most charity shops, the cheaper end of eBay and Vinted. However, because they also sell many new items (with the emphasis on cheapness rather than quality), you need to ensure you hit the link to the second hand clothing when you search.

So there are five great places to buy second hand clothing online. Where do you shop to find a second hand bargain?

I’m linking up with this Cass, Emma and Becky in this week’s ‘Frugal Friday’ linky.