Instead of contributing to textile waste, do some good with them. As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure – someone might take a liking to your unwanted floral blouse. There are several organisations in Singapore that accept used clothing items. The Salvation Army, which runs several thrift stores, is the most popular place to donate clothes to.

Just deposit your items at one of their donation-in-kind booths located island-wide. You can also consider the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations’ New2U Thrift Shop at Waterloo Street and the MINDS Shop (four stores at various locations).

We already know Levi’s offers you an incentive when you trade in your old pair of jeans. But did you know you can also do the same at H&M? The fast-fashion brand has a garment collection programme in a bid to promote fashion sustainability and reduce impact on the environment.

As part of their initiative, your donated old clothes that are still of good quality will be resold, with proceeds be given to charity. Those that can’t be sold will either be reprocessed into other products (such as cleaning cloths) or recycled for their materials.

The brand accepts all kinds of textiles from any brand and of any condition. Simply drop them off at the nearest H&M outlet and you’ll receive a $5 voucher off your next purchase!

READ MORE: All The Places In Singapore That Are Going Straw-Free

Selling your stuff online has become so much more convenient and easy over the years. Carousell is your best bet when it comes to selling pre-loved clothing. All you have to do is snap a few photos of your item, type a short description of it on the app, and wait for queries and offers to come in.

In fact, from now until Christmas, Carousell’s having a charitable campaign where you can list your own preloved goods at $0 with the hashtag #PrelovedWithLove. Your items will be featured in a Special Collection which helps facilitate exchanges for people in need. Local celebs like Melody Chen and Narelle Kheng are also taking part by auctioning off their most prized preloved items for charity.

Instagram is another popular platform to hawk your wares – just create an account, upload pictures of your clothes with descriptions and hashtags, and that’s it.

Here’s a tip if you want to get more offers: Visuals are very important! Make sure the lighting for your shot is good, and perfect your flat lay skills so your items look more appealing and professional.

The flea culture in Singapore is still vibrant even with the rise of online shopping. After all, fleas are where people can indulge in good bargains and impulse purchases. If you’re looking to make all your bags of barang barang disappear all at once, this is the best place you can make that happen.

Fleawhere, a local flea market organiser, is one of the places you can try getting a booth at – they have flea markets ongoing almost everyday! All you need to do is to pick a date, rent a booth with them and pack your clothes. They’ll provide you with a table and two chairs per booth. The good stuff goes out pretty quickly, and towards the end, you might start selling your pieces for as low as $1 to ensure that everything goes. It’s even better if you have friends to share the rental cost with.

You can also try Refash – an online community that allows you to sell your pre-loved clothes and buy secondhand pieces from ladies with similar styles. It’s like a flea market, only they do the selling for you. Just pack your clothes, drop it off to them and watch the bucks roll in.

If you’re into DIY crafts, breathe new life into your old apparels by repurposing them. You can turn an over-sized work blouse into a skirt or into an off-shoulder top – or even both! Or how about turning that too-long skirt into a tube dress? Or that tank top into a bag?

Even if you’re not that adept when it comes to making things yourself, there are tons of free YouTube videos to guide you through the process to make it less daunting, like this and this! You’re welcome.

READ MORE: 10 Fashion Repair Shops You Can Trust In Singapore

If it pains you to give up your precious clothes, try clothes swapping. Get in on a swap meet, where you get to spring-clean your closet, meet like-minded people and add new pieces to your wardrobe without spending a cent. It’s environmentally sustainable and fun.

Check out Swapaholic, Fashion Revolution and Your Clothes Friend Swap for future swap meets and go crazy.

READ MORE:
8 Responsible Ways To Get Rid Of Bulky Furniture
20 Ways To Declutter Your Home And Destress Your Life
Small Things You Can Do Every Day To Get Healthier

Text: Cheryl Lim