Thrifting culture in Singapore remains eminent, as more and more secondhand and swap stores emerge in the shopping paradise. Scavenge through your favourite pre-loved essentials and vintage gems with our guide on the popular thrifting spots in your neighbourhood!
Thrifting, once seen as a goodwill gesture, has gained traction beyond its charitable cause, attracting many to invest in secondhand fashion when building a more sustainable wardrobe. Social media and pop culture’s recent “thrift hauls” encapsulate modern-day fashion trends, with a growing number of resale spaces stepping up to cater to the demand for secondhand and vintage clothing.
For the mindful generation of sustainability aficionados living in Singapore, shopping thrifted and pre-loved essentials is now as convenient and normal as fast fashion retailers, the local neighbourhood’s eco-consciousness driving an amazing collection of high-end thrift and authenticated secondhand shops.
Read on for Singapore’s hidden thrifting gems tucked away in the luxurious shopping paradise, offering an all-rounded shopping experience with a curated selection of the trendiest styles, classic streetwear, and select vintage pieces.
1. Luxury Thrifting
The Fashion Pulpit
In the new wave of thrift culture, swap shops have begun to catch momentum. One of the celebrated brick-and-mortars promoting swap culture in Singapore is the winner of the 2020 Expatliving Gold Award for Best Secondhand and Vintage Fashion, The Fashion Pulpit. Founded in 2018, the social enterprise was established to foster the local sustainable fashion movement, building a community beyond their high-end fashion space where customers can swap, upcycle, and enjoy tailoring workshops to truly sustain each and every clothing piece. Experience the power of swapping with their vast collection of economical, ethical and trendy selects, as the store displays the perfect blend of pre-loved luxury, streetwear, and designer labels.
Address: 5 Straits View, Marina One The Heart, #01-04, Singapore 018935
Open From: Tues-Sun 11am-6pm
Deja Vu Vintage
Deja Vu Vintage is your one-stop-destination for timeless fashion essentials, carrying a wide selection of pre-loved clothing, handmade jewellery, as well as accessories. The designer treasure cove selects and imports their collection of vintage couture pieces from Japan, Australia, the US, and Europe, refreshing their display weekly to showcase their newest selections. Stepping away from the traditional slant of a thrift store, the space offers a therapeutic shopping experience with its warm, tasteful, and lavish ambiance.
Visit the boutique to shop the most iconic contemporary styles at great prices from designer labels such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, and more.
Address: #01-70 Millenia Walk 9 Raffles Boulevard Singapore 039596
Open From: Mon-Thur 12-8pm; Fri-Sun 11am-9pm
2. Online Thrifting
Refash
Founded in Singapore, Refash is one of the region’s largest online and physical thrift stores, and recently caught the eye of online marketplace giant Carousell. Amplifying their sustainable impact, the label aims to promote circular fashion, breathing life into used clothing, so far successfully processing over 5 million pieces.
Thrifting made easy, their one-click online solution to buying and selling pre-loved fashion essentials provides users with simplicity and accessibility. The online store features an amazing and trendy selection of clothing from homegrown to multinational brands- browse and select your favourites from local picks Love, Bonito and Our Second Nature, internationally renowned Reformation and Dorothy Perkins, and more!
Online Store: refash.sg
Address: 298 Tiong Bahru Rd, #02-132, Singapore 168732 (click here for other locations)
Open From: 11am-9pm
Second Other
A paradise for minimalist and eco-conscious fashion lovers, Second Other is a digital thrift and consignment store based in Singapore, promoting a circular economy by evoking a change in mindset towards secondhand fashion in their work. Built on the notion of pre-owned fashion being the most sustainable, the store aspires to bring pre-loved essentials to a whole new market, offering affordable, stylish, and quality hauls. As reformed shoppers themselves, Second Other shares its platform with like-minded individuals who they can both buy and sell from their preferred brands. Shop at the store and with any purchase made over SG$30, unlock 20 items to be consigned.
Online Store: secondother.com
Offline Store: 22 Sin Ming Lane #05-71 Midview City Singapore 573969
Open From: Mon–Fri 11am–5pm; Sat 11am–3pm (appointment only)
3. Off-the-Rack Vintage
SSVP Shop
Located on the ground floor of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SSVP Shop is a benevolent little charity thrift store started as a social enterprise project, and run entirely by a group of volunteers. Accepting a diverse range of pre-loved everyday products, the project is funded solely by donations. The remarkably bold and friendly corner shop features apparel and fashion essentials, handcrafted items alongside homeware, and other novelties!
Address: 501 Geylang Road, Singapore 389459
Open From: Tues-Sun 10am-4pm
A Vintage Tale
Home to retro and archival selects from illustration designers, A Vintage Tale is truly an old school fashion sanctuary. Paying homage to iconic fashion houses, namely Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Trifari and more, its valuable collection of contemporary fashion and accessories hails from the 50s straight to the 90s. One step into the store will mesmerise customers with its abundance of floral prints, eccentric patterns, and vibrant colours. Moreover, the store adds to its eccentricity with a corner bar, where customers can enjoy gin tastings while immersing themselves in the unique shopping experience.
Address: 277 Joo Chiat Rd, #01-01, Singapore 427531
Open From: Tues-Sun 11:30am-7:30pm
Nonmainstream
Hip-and-happening, the Nonmainstream store is located in the thriving cultural district of Kampong Glam and is well-known for its curation of pre-loved, vintage, and urban street styles. Offering the most trendy finds in-store, they keep up with trends with their finest retro sporty picks, from the funkiest Nike sweatshirts and windbreakers to their recent haul of Harley Davidson shirts, and not to forget their piping hot collection of NASCAR caps. Their famous designer T-shirts can cost anywhere between SG$20 and $50, ensuring affordable pricing for their attractive selects. Standing by their motto, the secondhand reseller, is just the spot to go to thrift and repeat.
Address: 462A Crawford Ln, #02-73, Singapore 191462
Open From: Fri-Sun 1pm-7pm
4. Swap Shop
Swapaholic
With the growing sustainable movement in Singapore, fashion swapping is growing in popularity. Swapaholic, as the name suggests, is an online and pop-up retail shop dedicated to clothing and accessory swapping catering to their community of like-minded fashionistas who wish to indulge in a shared passion and taste for cosmopolitan living, while minimising their carbon footprint. The omnichannel platform has made swapping effortless and trendy; customers can simply walk in or register through their portal, pay the set fees for selected goods, earn points, and redeem them upon their next purchase. Declutter and refresh your wardrobe, the Swapaholic way!
Address: Orchard Central #04-07
Open From: Mon-Sun 11am-10pm
Related Articles
An Insider’s Guide to Living Sustainably in Singapore
Singapore E-Commerce Brands Bring Sustainability to Fashion
Finix Wear: The Athleisure Label Trailblazing in Gender Fluid Fashion in Asia
