Crash Course: Thrifting in Pretoria

Danielle Yeatman and Rebecca van Besouw

In today’s world of fast-approaching deadlines, fast food, and fast fashion, thrifting offers a slow and sustainable release from all the chaos. Pretoria has a habit of consuming local markets and local artists, leaving them unseen to most who hunt for their locations. This leaves it up to the veteran thrifters to illuminate the yellow brick road of local events for those new thrifters to navigate. Following issue 4’s “Thrifting Save-the-Dates” article, this is not a closed list of markets but a short description of Hatfield’s most prominent and inclusive thrift markets.

Vintage Square Thrift Fair

For those staring into the wardrobe abyss every month, finding that none of their clothes provide satisfaction, there are monthly markets that could fill an entire Saturday with delicious food and vintage clothing. The most popular of these is the Vintage Square Thrift Fair. Located at Brooklyn Mall on the first Saturday of every month, the fair boasts a vast collection of stalls offering copious amounts of clothing, shoes and accessories for all styles and all sizes. A particular treasure trove for all Doc Marten lovers is a personal favourite. And after hours of shopping, thrifters can reenergise at one of Brooklyn’s many restaurants.

Litchi Vintage Thrift Market

Another monthly favourite, less-known to the thrifting audience, is the Litchi Vintage Thrift Market at the corner of Milner and 198 Long Street, Pretoria. While slightly smaller than the Brooklyn Market, Litchi’s Saturday shopping is filled with wonderful people and fantastic finds. This outside market is perfect for dog lovers who wish to bring their canine companions along for the thrift, as the market is dog friendly and encourages one to bring along their furry friends. And their project, Mother Litchi, is easy and innovative; it ensures that less material ends up in landfills. This project encourages thrifters to bring old clothes and fabrics to the market to either be repaired as you thrift or recycled into reusable items.

Sungardens Hospice Charity Shop

Another thrifting spot for anyone looking to support a good cause is the Sungardens Hospice Charity Shop. The hospice provides palliative care for patients with terminal illnesses. According to the hospice’s website, almost 50% of their fundraising is done via their charity shop located on 18 Twig Street in Lynnwood Glen. The shop offers many thrifted treasures, including clothes, vintage furniture, craft supplies, decor and a library’s worth of secondhand books. Additionally, anyone who has clothes, books or furniture that deserve a new home can donate them to the shop and keep the cycle of sustainable thrifting going.

Tips for thrifting

Thrifting is a rewarding hobby, but the experience can be made better with a little strategy. Here are some guidelines to get the most out of your trip to the thrift market:

1) Look out for quality. Check for holes in fabric and cracks in leather. Make sure to identify the kind of fabrics used in clothing, as natural fabrics like wool will be of higher quality and will last longer than synthetic fabrics like acrylic.

2) Dress for the occasion. Many thrift shops and markets do