How Second-Hand Shopping for Kids’ Clothing Helps Combat Fast Fashion

Hi, I’m Shu Yi, a mom and a policy wonk based in Toronto who cares about the environment. The article is my personal opinion and no commission is received.

Introduction

Each year, Canadians throw away about 500 million kilograms of clothing and fabric-made home items! That weighs roughly about the same as 500 million medium-sized pizzas! Textile waste can include clothing, accessories, soft toys, shoes and home textiles like carpets, towels and furniture. So much of the waste is driven by fast fashion which end up mostly in our landfills, with less than 1% being recycled.

As a mom, I look for ways to not buy into fast fashion, especially for my child who outgrows her clothes quickly. When there is a need, I try to shop second hand and vintage where possible. Here are my top recommendations for second-hand kids’ clothing in Toronto:

Little Ones Closet

Situated on the east side of Danforth, this gem carries 0 to 10-year-old new and used kids’ clothing, shoes, books and toys. The store is well-organized according to age groups and types of clothing (regular, sleepwear, dance wear, festival celebration, etc.). The owner, Julie, and her team are very warm and helpful, and I always feel welcomed to take my time to browse around.

To keep things fun, they organize an “Instagram Friday” event every Friday where selected items are posted one-by-one throughout the day on their account @Littleonescloset. They share the list of items the night before so you get an idea on what will be posted the next day. Items are all in good or excellent condition and reasonably priced. “Instagram Friday” turns the shopping experience into a game and is a smart way to get the inventory going. It also builds a community—and healthy rivalry—of like-minded people who wants to reduce waste and recycle kids clothing. 

I recently tried selling my child’s used items for the first time through their consignment system. They update their “want list” every week and you simply drop off items accordingly every Thursday or Saturday. They will go through your items and anything unfit, they will donate to local charities. For any accepted items, you get a very small store credit but it’s a good way to support a woman-owned local small business and keep things affordable for fellow parents. 

🡪 Like: Their “Instagram Friday” is a hit and the thrill of scoring things at a fraction of their price! 

🡪 Can be better: They do carry new toys made of plastic which is a major source of microplastics in the ecosystem. But kids, including mine, like toys and at least they sell used ones. 

Little White Sneakers (LWS)

I randomly came across this shop when visiting a friend near Mount Pleasant a few years ago and found a pair of good used baby shoes for $19 (new would be $40+)! Contrary to its name though, this Midtown joint carries lot more than just kids’ sneakers. They have every age from babies, kids, young adults to women’s new and used clothing, often of high quality and brand names at a reduced price. They also carry brand new clearance and resale items that are perhaps from previous seasons. Honestly, I sometimes find the quality of “old” stuff better than new! 

Similar to Little Ones Closet, LWS release their weekly inventory online on Wednesdays that usually sell out quickly. If you are looking for a unique piece, such as a fancy party dress or dress suit for your little ones, I recommend checking out this place. 

I have not tried selling items here so cannot comment on the process. According to their website, you have to schedule an appointment and fill in a form and you only get paid when the item is sold. 

🡪 Like: They have shipping options for Canada and US so it helps when I can’t trek across town. 

🡪 Can be better: The appointment-only consignment process may be a constraint for busy parents; any payback below $40 also requires in-person cash pick up rather than e-transfer.

Buy Nothing Neighbourhood Group

Most neighbourhoods in Toronto have their own “Buy Nothing” groups on Facebook where your neighbours give away things for free. I have both benefitted from hand-me-downs and someone’s generosity as well as given back to the community and it is a fairly easy process. I even got several pairs of hand-knitted mittens and toques from a mom who made them for her now grown-up children.

You can request joining a group as long as you respect their neighbourhood boundaries. Most groups ask members to disclose before joining their nearest intersection or postal code to ensure people are not freeloading in multiple groups. 

🡪 Like: The concept of neighbour helping neighbour to build community. 

🡪 Can be better: As there is no way to predict what people would be posting, tracking the group on a daily or weekly basis can be very time-consuming. In the group that I belong to, it allows you to make a request to see if any of your neighbours have the items you need though. 

Conclusion

To help consumers reduce wasteful consumption, academia has advocated for better textile waste research and documentation in municipal waste streams. See proposed grading system for fabrics by University of Waterloo and Seneca College in 2023.

There are also examples of clothing companies that champion circularity and repair but their products tend to require higher upfront costs compared to those from fast fashion. 

In the short term, if you have a chance to check out any of my recommendations, let me know how you like them. Happy second-hand hunting!