13 Best London Thrift Stores For Some Sustainably Posh & Preloved Purchases
Do you love a sustainable bargain?
Rhetorical question, we know. There’s not much better than updating your ‘robe with thrifted threads, knowing it helps to curb the truckload of clothes that hits the landfill every. Single. Second.
And with bustling markets, chic boutiques, and reworked vintage brands, London thrift stores and charity shops are the houndstooth blazer to the skinny blue jeans—or rather the slow fashion solution to the eco-conscious fashionista.
New to thrifting?
No matter, our thrift shopping tips can set you up for success as you get ready to pop some tags.
1. Rokit
About Rokit Vintage’s Thrift Stores London
Price Range: $$–$$$$$
The stalwart of London’s vintage scene, Rokit was born in London’s iconic Camden Market back in 1986.
Today there are three stores in tourist hotspots across the city, all offering a huge collection of men’s and women’s vintage clothing. With hundreds of new pieces added every week as well as their in-house reworked brand, Rokit Originals, it’s a rockin’ stop for discovering one-of-a-kind pieces.
We’re especially drooling over their latest drop of reworked vintage Levi’s bootcut jeans with star patches sewn onto them to go with any one of their Rokit Originals slashed tank tops made from soft retro cotton jersey t-shirts.
Location: Online | Brick Lane | Camden | Covent Garden
2. Beyond Retro
About Beyond Retro’s Vintage Thrift Stores London
Price Range: $$–$$$$
If bargain hunting is the name of the game, then you’ll want to play that game at Beyond Retro. You can rummage through vintage sportswear, dresses, t-shirts, and jeans, and peruse their outlet section where you can thrift one-off wonders from £1 all year round.
Their selection of 90s and early 00s vintage is bar-none our favourite, with recent finds including Von Dutch and Ed Hardy caps, Champion hoodies, a Y2K hot pink rain jacket, and a Scary Spice-worthy leopard print evening dress.
If you have vintage clothing to rehome, the in-store exchange program here lets you swap your unwanted items for store credit.
Location: Online | Coal Drops | Dalston | SoHo
3. TRAID
About TRAID’s Second Hand Shops In London
Price Range: $–$$$
For twenty-five years, TRAID has operated as a charity shop on a mission to tackle the environmental and social woes of the textile industry.
Its clothes recycling project is a mammoth undertaking. Each week TRAID’s London warehouse transforms over 11,000 donated items into in-house quality stock for its stores, plus they use profits to fund social projects like supporting waste picker children in India, or helping to grow Benin’s organic cotton sector.
Their shop on Westbourne Grove is one of the best for designer steals. Otherwise, pop by one of their other 13 locations (from Wood Green to Walthamstow) for more top shelf second hand clothing options.
You’re sure to find whatever you never knew you needed, from serious scores like designer duds by Celine or Gucci, to easy low-key casual items like gently used Lululemon yoga wear and big comfy cotton jumpers and nicely preloved t-shirts.
Location: eBay | Depop | Multiple
4. Atika London
About Atika’s Thrift Store London
Price Range: $$–$$$$$
Vintage department store Atika is one of London’s largest. With over 20,000 items of vintage clothing on offer, you’ll find countless t-shirts, jackets, skirts, bags, sneakers, and UK sustainable swimwear offerings to rifle through for the next millennium whilst admiring the industrial interior (it was an old furniture factory in a former life) in Spitalfields.
Their in-house reworked brand, REMIX, creates trend-led clothing from vintage and deadstock fabrics. Designed and made in London, it’s bold, refreshing, and sustainably chic.
We particularly love their reworked 90s sportswear they’ve made into eye-catching crop tops and mini skirts, which are more the perfect go-to festival fashion than for a Monday morning at the office.
Location: Spitalfields
5. Camden Market
About Camden Market’s Thrift Shops London
Price Range: $–$$$$$
No thrifting London list would be complete without featuring the iconic Camden Market, an unapologetic mix of eclectic shops and second-take stalls.
Head to the Stables Market for vintage clothes shopping, along with an incredible selection of antiques and second furniture that make it one of the must-hit furniture thrift stores London has to offer. Then refuel at one of the delicious international street food vans on Camden Lock.
Word of the wise: while everything is a freakin’ fantastic find here, the vintage jewelry selection is especially jaw-dropping. Think: a 1970s large golden medallion emblazoned with the word “LOVE,” a 1960s brutalist-style 925 silver ring with an opal alien head, a massive rutilated quartz necklace and chain with vintage Native American medallion.
Camden Market is open daily, from 10am until late.
Location: Camden
6. Crisis Charity Shop, Finsbury Park
About Crisis’ Cheap Thrift Stores London
Price Range: $–$$$
Mark Crisis as your go-to for quality vintage and pre-loved fashion pieces at affordable prices. Their nine locations (in Croydon, Camberwell, Dalston, Hackney, Hammersmith, Islington, and Peckham) raise proceeds all in support of their work in helping the homelessness liberate themselves from poverty.
If you’re looking for a London thrifting experience à la coffee break, head to the Finsbury Park branch. With its conscious coffee bar, bright interior, and colorful displays, it’s a perfect place to meet a friend while comparing pre-loved finds together.
Some recent Gen Z drool-worthy treasures we discovered there included a Tommy Jeans psychedelic mesh in lime green and some Calvin Klein acid washed mom-jean cut-off shorts.
Location: Multiple
7. Oxfam Boutique, Westbourne Grove
About Oxfam’s Thrift Shops London
Price Range: $–$$$
The Oxfam Boutique on Westbourne Grove is worth a visit if you’re partial to the odd luxury label. They were even nominated as one of the 50 Best Boutiques in London by the Evening Standard Magazine.
Located just off the famous Portobello Road, the boutique stocks hard to find second-hand brands, including designer pieces from the likes of Chanel, Dior, and Saint Laurent, along with near-mint condition china, frames, glassware, and collectibles.
We’re still regretting not purchasing a Prada silk boatneck dress we recently saw there, especially because all money spent will support the charity’s mission to end global poverty.
Location: Notting Hill
8. Fara
About Fara’s Best Second Hand Shops London
Price Range: $–$$$$
From Belsize Park to Battersea, Fara has 41 shops spread far and wide across the city—including fifteen Fara Kids Shops, are much-loved contributors to the London second-hand clothing scene.
Not to mention His Majesty King Charles III continues as a Royal Patron of FARA, which he has since the nineties.
If you’re into vintage then their Retromania store is the emporium of retro pieces you’ve been waiting for in the heart of Victoria.
Proceeds from all of their stores go towards positively transforming the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable children and families in Romania.
Location: Multiple
9. Picknweight
About Picknweight’s Second Hand Shops in London
Price Range: $–$$$$
Stand out from the crowd and enjoy a novel thrifting experience in London with Picknweight. Its namesake points to their practice of selling vintage threads by the kilo.
With Europe-wide stores in Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, and Munich as well as in London’s Covent Garden, you’ll find an eclectic collection of past-time wear from the 50s to the 00s. Some standouts here include their epic dungarees collection, their sizable furry hats collection, and their gargantuan 70s bell bottoms collection.
Beyond all pickin’ by weight, they offer (RE)COLLECTION pieces that are in-house designer duds sewn from recycled vintage clothing, making Picknweight a truly smokin’ second hand stop in The Big Smoke.
Location: Covent Garden
10. Mary’s Living and Giving Shops
About Mary’s Living and Giving London Second Hand Shops
Price Range: $$–$$$$
For more boutique vibes, Mary’s Living and Giving have some of the most-loved London thrift stores for unearthing designer pieces while supporting a heart-warming cause. Set up with the help of retail guru Mary Portas, proceeds from the shops are directed to Save the Children.
Shout out to their pretty Primrose Hill thrift store, which is no stranger to high-end and vintage sporting locales. We found a gorgeous Wyse boho prairie girl dress there and some like-new Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers and walked out of the store wearing them both.
Location: Multiple
11. Shelter
About Shelter’s High-End Thrift Stores In London
Price Range: $$$–$$$$$
Shelter’s fourteen charity boutiques are all ace, but we must call out their Hampstead Heath location, which offers some of the best for up-market high street and London vintage clothing one-offs.
Their current summer edit features awesome finds like a solar system patterned skirt by Kenzo, a number of elegant Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dresses, and strappy suede Givenchy sandals made for wedding season.
You’ll also find accessories, retro homeware, and second-hand books to peruse.
Proceeds help fund Shelter’s work supporting the homeless and improving poor living conditions.
Location: Multiple
12. Octavia Foundation
Octavia Foundation’s London Thrift Stores
Price Range: $$–$$$$
Located on some of London’s most famous fashion streets, Octavia has thirteen charity stores across central and west London.
Situated in the heart of the French Quarter, its South Kensington boutique is one to hit if you’re into Parisienne chic. Odds on you’ll even get lucky and find something from the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Céline. We freshly discovered some like-new, iconic Balenciaga Ceinture buckle boots that we’re still crying over not being in our size.
Proceeds support their work helping people affected by ill health, social isolation, low income, or unemployment.
Location: Multiple
13. Royal Trinity Hospice
About Royal Trinity Hospice’s High-End Thrift Stores In London
Price Range: $$–$$$$$
Reliable and easy to access, Royal Trinity Hospice is “London’s answer to sustainable fashion”.
With more than twenty of their shops dotted around the capital, and an online shop too, you’ll be hard pressed not to bump into one.
Their Islington, Kensington, and Portobello branches are three notable mentions for uncovering high-end designer pieces at pleasing prices, with Vogue Magazine crowning the latter as a top charity shop in London.
Given that we just scored some hot pink suede Miu Miu pointed flats and a matching bubblegun-hued Hermes silk scarf for nearly bargain basement prices, we couldn’t agree more.
Location: Multiple
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