What happens when you are into fashion but also care about the planet? You change your shopping habits which naturally brings you to discover the world of thrift shopping.
Considering that in Australia people buy the most amount of clothes, even more than in the USA and China, you will find plenty of options when it comes to op shopping. In Sydney alone, there are about 200 stores with preloved clothing and four flea markets featuring vintage and second hand clothes.
It’s not a secret that Sydney is home to some of the wealthiest people on Earth. If you're looking for what were expensive items originally, there is a good reason to do your second hand shopping in the rich areas of Sydney.
Because of the fast fashion industry in combination with Australia’s exuberant consumerism, even in these areas you will also find lots of poor quality items from fast fashion brands. These include Shein, H&M, Uniqlo, and Zara.
Unfortunately, it’s the reality of the fashion industry worldwide and charity shops are the first places where these unwanted items are being dumped. But you can also get lucky and spot some really unique designer pieces.
Our biggest tip is to look for clothes with natural fabrics as they last longer and feel better on your skin. However, if you do purchase anything synthetic including polyester, spandex, lycra, Nylon and acrylic, you should hand wash them or use a special bag that catches the micro plastics. Always cold wash your synthetic clothes too.
It can be quite overwhelming to choose where to head, especially if you are only in town for a limited amount of time. We have been thrifting in Sydney for a few years and have become quite experts, so we want to make sure that you have the best thrifting experience when you go shopping in Sydney.
We’ve created a list of areas in Sydney that have the most amount of vintage and second hand shops that we love. That way you can just visit one or two places and have a full day of shopping instead of travelling from one side of town to the other.
Rozelle
This is our absolute favourite area to go thrift shopping. Not only because it’s located between some of the richest suburbs of Sydney such as Balmain, Balmain East, and Birchgrove, but also because is not that busy which means that you have more chance to find great pieces.
We only discovered it by accident and so happy we did. It has some of our favourite op shops such as Noffs, Uturn, Vinnies Rozelle, and Rozelle Collectors Market on Saturdays.
All the shops are located within two blocks on Darling Street, which makes it super convenient. After you are done, you can walk to Balmain Wharf to catch a ferry to Circular Quay.
At the wharf, you will find the biggest free outdoor library I’ve ever seen in Australia. It’s located right at the wharf under the roof. Grabbing a nice cook book or a novel to read will be a great bonus to end your shopping trip.
Bondi
Besides having lots of classic op shops in the area such as Vinnies, Salvos Stores, and Red Cross, it also has one of our absolute favourite shops - Wayside Chapel Op Shop. The Wayside Chapel is a non-profit organisation that helps homeless people and people in need.
If you are looking for a boutique-like experience, don’t miss Salvos Stores near Bondi Junction. They have a wide range of vintage, designer items, home decor, and menswear.
Last time we were there, we got a really cute pot to grow some green onions, a real Panama hat made in Ecuador for just five dollars, and a beautiful silver bracelet with real pearls for $35. Oh, and we also got a brand-new Super Dry jacket for hiking or skiing just for $20.
Another spot that is just a couple minutes from Bondi Junction train station is Venla. It’s a store which promotes preloved fashion with quality brands but still at affordable prices.
Each rack has their own owner and they rotate every two weeks. It’s a also great opportunity for someone willing to sell their own clothes, but don’t have time to stand at the markets or deal with Facebook Marketplace.
Newtown
Newtown is a mecca for thrift shoppers and vegans. It fully lives up to expectations. There are more than a dozen op shops and vintage shops in the area. You can easily spend all day there treasure hunting and eating the most delicious vegan food in town.
We definitely recommend paying a visit to Noffs for the cheapest items. Seriously, there is no other second hand shop in Sydney with prices like Noffs, It’s really not hard to find a bargain there since 90% of their stock costs no more than $5!
On the other end of the scale is Reunion for high-end and designer pieces. Uturn also has a big variety of pieces, including for men. It’s the only op shop where we could find lots of more modern male fashion.
If you are looking for designer street fashion brands, there is nothing else like KOT-J. They have both new and preloved pieces. St Luke’s Op Shop meanwhile is a tiny shop but packed full of treasures.
Potts Point and Darlinghurst
Being in an upscale neighbourhood with trendy cafes is the perfect place for quality thrifting.
Potts Point is also home to the second Wayside Chapel Op Shop with high-quality clothes at affordable prices. It’s also rewarding to support them with the great things they are doing for their local community as we mentioned earlier.
Don’t miss out on the flea market held every Saturday. It has some great vintage shops to explore!
If you are looking for some more unique pieces, you can head to Swop Shop in Darlinghurst, which is walking distance from Potts Point. Swop Shop has high-end and designer clothes.
Although it’s a business, it also has a great concept where you can bring your own clothes and get store credit to buy something different. Once you are in the area, you can also have a look at other second hand shops.
Personally Darlinghurst isn’t our favourite area. We find the clothes there old and not in their best shape. Even my favourite store Noffs has been a big disappointment. But you just never know what you may find, which is the beauty of thrifting!
Mosman
You have probably heard that Mosman is an area for rich people. That is correct, but we all know that rich people are the ones that consume the most.
Which is generally bad for the planet, but good for shopping addicts like us when they decide to donate them. Here you will have your classic op shops like Vinnies and Salvos Stores, but with better quality and clothing brands.
Kiribilli Market
This is our absolute favourite second hand clothes market. We literally never leave it empty handed. While vintage clothes is more rare to find there, you will find yourself with an abundance of Australian high-end and middle-range brands.
It’s an outdoor market where locals come to get rid of their clothes from the previous season that they have probably worn once or twice. Of course every week is different and there is no guarantee for who will show up on the day, but it’s a great opportunity to get quality clothes for really low prices.
For the budget conscious, a tip is to arrive about one hour before the market closes. People just want to get rid of their clothes no matter what. We were lucky to get Bec and Bridge pants for $10, Zimmerman shorts for $20, and a Kookai linen dress for $5 one time.
If you have no luck at the market, there is a great Vinnies just up the hill at North Sydney. We usually find lots of quality pieces there.
