8 Best Thrift Shops in Singapore for Sustainable Shopping

This was originally posted on Planner Bee.

It’s no secret that Singaporeans love shopping and a good bargain. Instead of purchasing fast fashion, why not save some moolah and give second-hand clothes a new lease of life through thrift shopping? Thrifting allows you to meet your personal needs at affordable prices, while feeling good about yourself with sensible shopping that is environmentally friendly. You may even find some valuable treasures while thrifting!

Ready to shop? Without further ado, we introduce the 8 best thrift shops you can find in Singapore:

1. Refash

Step into a modern boutique thrift store at Refash, with over 10 stores in Singapore. While it may be a thrift store, it certainly doesn’t look like one. In fact, you can even find clothes from popular brands such as ASOS and Zara. They specialise in selling clothes that are on trend, so you won’t have to worry about potentially buying outdated fashion pieces. That’s not all – you can even sell your preloved pieces to them and get payouts for your clothes.

Where: Online, also available islandwide

2. Function Five

An up-and-coming store that opened in July 2021, Function Five sells streetwear at an affordable price of S$5 to $25. From graphic tees, windbreakers, to cargo pants, take your pick — there’s surely something that tickles your fancy.

Where: 751 North Bridge Road 02-01 or 43 Arab Street Level 1

3. The Barn

A volunteer-led initiative, The Barn offers an array of bags, clothing, and even knick-knacks such as vintage cameras, glassware sets and tiffin lunch boxes. Most of their offerings come from donations, with proceeds going to Cornerstone Community Service’s welfare programmes.

If you are looking to shop from the comfort of your home, you’d be pleased to know that The Barn lists their products on Instagram, Facebook and Carousell as well.

Where: Available at 3 locations

The Barn@Katong 11 East Coast Rd, #01-11/12, The Odeon Katong, S428722

The Barn@AMK Blk 591A, Ang Mo Kio St 51, #01-35, S561591

The Barn@Penjuru 27 Penjuru Walk, #01-01, S608538

4. Thrifteyseconds

Tucked away at WCEGA Plaza, keep a lookout for their colourful gate embellished with fancy accessories and whimsical stickers. From bright windbreakers, 90s oversized tees, retro clothings, to nostalgic toys (such as Powerpuff Girls plushies and vintage comics), this hidden thrift store has them all.

Indulge your inner child, with their repurposed necklaces and earrings with characters from your childhood. With lots of kawaii offerings from Japan and preloved designer clothing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed here. However, each clothing rack comes with its own price tag for your ease of shopping.

Thrifteyseconds is only available on an appointment basis, so be sure to book a reservation through Instagram before heading down.

Where: Bukit Batok Cres, Wcega plaza, #04-27, Singapore 658064

5. Thrifty Trendz

This heartland thrift shop located in Kovan offers preloved items from trinkets, dishware, patterned bags and tops, jewellery, to authentic designer wallets. If you’re in need of fashion advice, simply consult Thrifty Trendz’s owner – a fashionista who follows the latest trends.

Where: 22 Yio Chu Kang Road #02-30, Highland Centre Singapore, Singapore 545535

6. NONMAINSTREAM

If you are on the hunt for hipster, nonmainstream apparel is the place to be. This vintage store houses oversized polo shirts, retro sporty sweatshirts, windbreakers and graphic tees at affordable prices. However, take note that they have unique opening hours – they are only open from Friday to Sunday, 1 to 7pm.

Where: 462A Crawford Ln, #02-73, Singapore 191462

7. MINDS Shop

MINDS stands for Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore, and they aim to empower and provide pre-vocational retail and customer service training to the intellectually disabled. With a wide array of offerings from accessories, clothing, to furniture, their products are affordably priced and reasonable haggling is allowed for some items. Although there are four stores available islandwide, the go-to outlet would be the one at Margaret Drive – the biggest store of all, with the largest variety of goodies.

Where: 800 Margaret Drive, Singapore 149310

More locations available here

8. Threadlightly

Threadlightly is an inclusive, community-centred thrift store that opened in August 2020. From trendy preloved pieces to vintage-inspired ones including reworked bags and tees, you can find them all. Additionally, a portion of their proceeds go to their selected beneficiary, so you can truly indulge in guilt-free shopping.

Where: Their brick-and-mortar shop at Queensway Shopping Centre is now permanently closed, but they operate on a pop-up basis. Follow them on Instagram to find out where their next pop-up will be.

Beat inflation with skilful, sustainable shopping

With inflation at an all-time high, thrift shopping can be a good alternative as clothes get more and more expensive. However, it can be easy to go overboard when you get carried away – a good way to spend within your limits would be to make a list of the items you need prior to your visits. Also, don’t forget to record your expenses with Planner Bee, so you can keep your finances in check.

Happy shopping!