Think second hand this September

This September is a chance to think second hand first, from shopping pre-loved and donating good quality items, to finding simple ways to waste less.

As the new season begins, it is a great time to look again at what is already at home, whether you can restyle some of the pieces you already have, repair well-loved items or passing things on so someone else can make use of them.

Restyling your wardrobe or décor with items you already have, donating items that are no longer needed or choosing second hand, helps keep useful things in circulation for longer.

Donate your quality goods to keep them in use

If you have good quality items at home that you no longer use, there are a number of avenues to donate items so others can make the most of them.

Give items to charity shops

Most charity shops will accept clothes, shoes, school uniforms, accessories and books that are in good condition. They will often accept small donations dropped in-store without an appointment. The Charity Retail Association's shop finder lists all shops in the borough or drop clothes and shoes at one of TRAID’s community banks around the borough or book a collection online.

Donate your unwanted furniture or buy second hand

Richmond Furniture Scheme is a local charity that accepts furniture in good condition for reuse. They can collect furniture for free and then resell it for a nominal price to others.

Donate old bikes to the Barnes Charity Bike Sale. Keep an eye on their website for the next event. 

Donate old baby items to The Extra Mile who support families in need in Hampton.

Take items to the recycling and reuse centre at Townmead Road. The site accepts various items including electricals for repair and redistribution. Make sure you book a slot in advance.

Organise a free pick up with Anglo Doorstep Collections who collect items including bric-a-brac, clothes, and small electricals then donate the proceeds to charity.

Community donation drives

Are you part of an organisation that is doing a community collection drive for winter clothes or school uniforms? Let us know by submitting a community news story.

Explore Green Richmond for more information on charities and organisation that accept donations.

Shop second hand

As the seasons change, second hand clothing and furniture shops can be a great place to look for winter coats, boots, homewares and everyday essentials, often at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

From sofas and tables to fridges and washing machines, Richmond Furniture Scheme rescues, repairs and rehomes thousands of items each year, making it easy to furnish your home sustainably without buying new. Visit their Twickenham warehouse to shop in person or shop online. Discounts are available for people on low incomes.

If you are looking for some new winter clothes, why not try new-to-you first? Shopping second hand can help you find quality, affordable items, while supporting local charities, community projects and businesses and such as the Vineyard Boutique which was shortlisted for the UK’s Favourite Charity shop in 2025 or St Mary’s Living and Giving in Kew.

You can also find good quality items online through Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace or search Richmond Freegle, which lets local residents exchange unwanted items free of charge.

From practical finds to one-off pieces, buying second hand can be stylish, useful and better for the planet. If it needs a quick fix you can either bring it to The Fixery to get it repaired or repair it yourself by borrowing tools such as a sewing machine through the Library of Things in Twickenham. Get 15% off with code: TKLOT15

Clothes swap and quality crafts at The Fixery

At The Fixery you can get household items and textiles repaired, swap clothes, purchase quality craft supplies and refill household cleaning products.

The clothes swap is a perfect place to pick up a new-for-you outfit. Either bring in clothes you no longer want and swap them or pay a donation for a new outfit you find on the rack.

There are also quality second hand craft supplies for purchase from the Work and Play Scrapstore stall at The Fixery, get buttons, fabric, ribbons and more to add to your craft collection and add some life into clothes you've already got! 

If you love what you already have but it needs some TLC, bring it in for one of our skilled repairers to stitch up or even better, learn how to fix your own clothes at the one of the upcoming clothes repair workshops, led by TRAID and hosted at The Fixery on Thursday 10 September. Register for the workshop on Eventbrite.

These are just some of the ways you can choose second hand first, reduce waste and lessen the environmental impact of fast consumerism. Buying pre-loved items saves the energy, water, and materials required to create new products.

Together, we can turn September into a month of sustainable action.