A Guide to Sustainable Shopping in Dublin
Want to shop for clothes sustainably - but don’t know where to look? This handy guide has the suss on all the best vintage, charity and second-hand shops in Dublin, along with some motivation to check them out. Sorted!
When it comes to buying clothes sustainably, shopping second-hand is the best way to go. Over the last number of years Dublin has seen an increase of so called “vintage shops” popping up all over the city. This has led to an increase in Ireland’s youth delving into the treasure trove that is past fashion, and usually are unconscious that they are making sustainable steps. With the fast pace that fashion industry loops itself on, it is no wonder that what our mothers were wearing at our age is now back on trend. These big corporations tell us what is “trendy” and dragging us in, but we should turn to checking out local charity shops to get equally as “stylish” articles of clothing.
In the last few months an Instagram account called @sustainablefashiondublin has been blowing up with their charity shop crawls and DIY/upcycling workshops. The account features a collection of charity shops around all of Dublin and gives us a glimpse of what these stores have to offer. Personally, I have found their “charity shop crawl route maps” extremely helpful when I go on my own little trips. Definitely an account to keep an eye on.
@sustainablefashiondublin
I thought it would be a good idea to share my favourite charity shops around Dublin. Below is a list of my favourite second-hand stores and their locations, most charities have multiple shops but mentioned are the stores in my opinion have the best stock. Usually when you go to buy an item you get it for cheaper than the price tag, and you know the money you are giving is going to those who need and deserve it. Shopping second-hand is also an adventure; you never know what you will find but you will know that possibly you are the only one who owns that item which makes loving your clothes even better!
North Dublin - Capel Street:
- Goodwill Thrift Shop
- The Vintage Shop (one of my favourites)
- Second Abbey (one of my favourites)
- CASA
- Irish Cancer Society
- Oxfam
- Enable Ireland
Capel St
South Dublin - Georges Street (features sections labelled “vintage”) & Camden Street:
- St Vincent De Paul (one of my favourites - beside Enable Ireland)
- Oxfam (one of my favourites)
- Enable Ireland
- Dublin Simon Community (one of my favourites)
- Age Action
Camden St
Dublin Vintage Factory
Also worth checking out “Dublin Vintage Factory” on Wellington Quay and in Temple Bar for authentic vintage pieces. Pay twenty euro for a kilo of clothes! It’s best to stay away from other shops labelled as “vintage” around Temple Bar because they are extremely overpriced, the owners know their target audience so this is done on purpose. You can find similar items in charity shops - all you have to do is search!
South Dublin - Dundrum:
- Dundrum Village Charity Shop
- Human appeal Ireland (one of my favourites)
- Vincents
- Oxfam
- Sue Ryder Foundation (one of my favourites)
Dundrum 1
Dundrum 2
South Dublin - Dun Laoghaire:
- Irish Cancer Society
- Oxfam
- Age Action (one of my favourites)
- Vincents
- Piggybank
- NCBI (one of my favourites)
- Barnardos
- Good Cause Way
- Patrick’s Curiosity (one of my favourites)
Dun Laoghaire 1
Dun Laoghaire 2
Bray (all within a 5 minute walk from the Dart station):
- Irish Cancer Society x2
- Oxfam
- Enable Ireland
- NCBI x2
- Castaway
- War on Want
- The Purple Door (beside War on Want)
- Finders Keepers Vintage
Bray 1
Bray 2
Bray 3
More FAC
