second hand clothes

Getting Second-Hand Savvy

An essential part of reversing climate change is to stop producing so many new things, and make better use of what we have. Governments and businesses need to fundamentally change the way products are designed so that companies aren't allowed to ignore the environmental impact of what they produce, and only make good quality products that last. But there's also a lot we can do as individuals, such as choosing to support the second-hand market.

You can buy literally anything second hand, and in many cases items are still in excellent condition. 

Where to buy second hand at a glance: 

There are lots of online shops and apps for pre-loved items. We've tried to list as many options as we could think of, but please let us know if we've missed any!

Clothes

Electrical items and homeware

Furniture

What about items you no longer want?

You can sell unwanted items on EbayFacebook MarketplaceGumtreeShpock or Wallapop. Good quality reusable items can also be donated to charity; take them along to a local shop, or some charities will collect items for free, such as Sue Ryder, Marie CurieBritish Heart Foundation and Klasp.

Besides the lists above, check out Olio, Freegle, Freecycle and Trash Nothing. These sites can be especially good for giving away slightly unusual items. Give it a try because the item you're trying to get rid of might be the exact thing that someone else is looking for.

Finally, you can also consider borrowing items for a few days. This is great if you’re short of money and space or only need something for a brief time. Many areas have borrowing libraries and Library of Things lists them all for ease. There’s also Fat Llama if you prefer the online option.

Share