The rise and rise of pre-loved

Thanks to the rise and rise of pre-loved, many of these shops in the town centre have never been busier. Budget and eco-conscious shoppers are driving a surge in sales of second hand clothing and furnishings as they look for financially friendly alternatives to fast fashion.

SHELTER

The Shelter Charity Shop at 36 High Street has been open in the same location for more than 25 years and has regularly updated its profile to support the work of Shelter Scotland.

The charity, which strives every day to give people struggling with bad housing or homelessness the help they need, do this through an advice, support and legal service and also by campaigning relentlessly to achieve their vision of a safe, secure, affordable home for everyone. “The shop has a welcoming, friendly atmosphere for customers to browse the bright colour coded stock of ladies and men’s clothing, bric a brac, books and media,” explains Shelter’s Audrey Wadsworth. “Customers are amazed at the quality and affordable prices of our stock as we are fortunate to receive new high end stock as Gift in Kind from High Street brands which is a valuable asset to sales. “As a result of the quality of this we have found that the quality of donations from the public has improved unbelievably. “One of the brands has in particular given us a boost as it includes really fantastic occasion dresses and accessories that we sell at affordable prices. And not forgetting the gentlemen, we regularly have stock of affordable branded stock.” “We have found that the public view of charity shops has changed and now we see more younger customers who never shopped in Charity Shops before the pandemic are attracted by the preloved stock but also the sustainability aspect of recycling,” added Audrey. “We hold In Store fashion shows with professional models and photographers who give their time free and are hopeful of presenting an outdoor show in the near future at a Paisley Historic site. “We hope to maintain our success through continuing on our present course with the support of our customers donating their preloved goods on a regular basis directly to the shop.”

CANCER RESEARCH

Another much loved charity shop which is also known for its boutique style windows is the Cancer Research store, which has been in the town for 20 years.

Thanks to its supporters, their pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. Survival rates have doubled in the last 40 years, thanks to the great progress research has made. “We sell everything you could need for your home and yourself from clothes, shoes, homeware, books, CD's, DVD's and toys,” said shop manager Stephen Gardiner. “We also offer a wide selection of new goods as well and I think that our customers have come to expect a good quality of product and thanks to our generous donations we can provide just that. “I think that we have been at the forefront of recycling for many years and now people really can see the benefit of what we do in that regard and in relation to our core purpose of Research into the curing of Cancer.” “Cancer Research will shortly be starting a promotion in conjunction with 'Slimming World' whereby their Club members can donate at their local Club,” added Stephen. “We can accept donations of clothes, bric-a-brac, household goods or cash and cheque all via our shop at 43 Causeyside Street. We like to be known as a friendly and welcoming local shop where people can come for some excellent bargains all in aid of a great cause. “Our shop has been through some changes recently and we now offer a wider selection of top brands. Whether you are a new customer or an existing one that hasn't been in for a while, pop in and say hello.”

REMODE

Based at 43b High Street, ReMode is a creative community hub for sustainable fashion, right in the heart of Paisley.

As a Community Interest Company (CIC) they strive to encourage the community to mend their clothes; upcycle; and waste less all while making their current clothes last. “We opened this shop in November 2019 as we want Paisley shoppers to be inspired to learn about sustainable fashion, to shop with us and get involved with making and creative upcycling,” said ReMode’s Emma Owen. “We have a strong team of volunteers who are dedicated in helping us with our mission and share a similar passion for a circular economy. We are donation based and accept your unwanted clothing and textiles which we then either sell on as they are; repair where necessary or use them to create brand new garments. “Folk often assume we're a charity shop because of our second hand clothes but are intrigued when they find out more about what else we have to offer, what we do and why! “We also have a workshop programme where you can learn to sew, make a film or write something for an edition of our zine Clout!.” “Our ReMode Collection is designed and made in house by our team of talented staff and volunteers,” added Emma. “Each piece is created using fabric donations and second hand items that were in need of a new lease of life. We also have our Handpicked range which is a carefully curated selection of second hand garments, some which have been lightly repaired where necessary. “Alongside our clothing collections we have a range of jewellery, cards and accessories which are made by other local designers as well as a selection of eco living products for your home, books on sewing and upcycling and copies of each edition of our zine Clout!.” Find out more about ReMode’s fantastic workshops for all ages and abilities at www.remodeyouth.org

ST. VINCENT’S HOSPICE

St. Vincent’s Hospice opened their Moss Street shop in 2010 with a recent refurbishment improving the fashion displays and lighting in store- making it easier to find exactly what you are looking for.

St Vincent’s Hospice serves the communities of Renfrewshire and surrounding areas,

THE RISE AND RISE OF PRE-LOVED

providing specialist palliative and end-oflife care to those living with life-limiting illnesses. A place of care and compassion, this is the little hospice with a big heart that provides the highest standard of person-centred care and ensures choice, dignity, and an enhanced quality of life. “Our shop supervisor Heather Leshi supported by her wonderful team of volunteers have worked hard to create a bright, welcoming store filled with many handpicked, pre-loved items,” said the hospice’s Trading Support Manager, Fiona Campbell. “Customers can find a huge variety of handpicked, new and second hand goods in store. This includes clothing, footwear, toys, electrical and household items. We also have a wide range of handmade items including dressed dolls, baby cardigans and seasonal crafted items. “People are hugely impressed with the quality of our clothing. We proudly take time to carefully sort through our donations to ensure our stock is the best it can be. Some items on sale may even be brand new with tags. We have many customers who shop with us time and time again.” “With shopping habits changing and customers’ moving away from fast fashion stores we are finding more customers are shopping with us than ever before,” added Fiona. “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who shops or donates to St Vincent’s Hospice. Without your support we could not raise the £1.5m needed to provide specialist patient-centred care at St. Vincent’s Hospice each year. “If you would like to support our charity and volunteer a few hours a week please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can pop in to our charity shops and chat to one of our shop supervisors, or phone us on 01505 705635.”

BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

Another mainstay on the High Street is the British Heart Foundation shop at No 32.

Here you can find a great range of both preloved and new items, ranging from clothes, shoes and accessories to books, toys and homeware. They also stock greetings cards for all occasions, BHF pin badges and small gifts. Shoppers here are helping to fund research which helps deliver lifesaving breakthroughs from stell-cell coated plasters to 3D printed hearts.

SAVE THE CHILDREN

Just across the road is the Save the Children store at 43 High Street.

Only open on Fridays at the moment, shoppers can find a mix of second hand clothes and bric a brac here. Save the Children works in more than 100 countries around the world to support children to transform their lives.

SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army shop at 39 High Street helps support the charity’s work throughout the local community, as well as further afield, helping young people, families, older people and the homeless deal with a whole range of issues.

With a great variety of clothing in store for all ages, along with footwear, accessories and gift sets, there’s something for everyone.

DEBRA

With a wide range of furniture in store, the DEBRA shop at 1 Moss Street also sells a wide range of quality clothing, homeware, electrical items and books and media.

Here, customers are helping fund research and support on behalf of those who suffer from Epidermolysis Bullosa – the name for a group of painful genetic skin conditions that causes the skin to become fragile and tear or blister at the slightest touch.

BARNARDO’S

The latest addition to the town’s preloved revolution can be found in the Piazza Shopping Centre. This new pop up shop has a wide range of clothing and children’s goods as well as brand new items, homeware and gift sets. The selling of these donated and new goods helps raise vital funds to make a real difference to disadvantaged children, young people and families across the UK.