Australia’s favourite garage sale festival is back!
The Garage Sale Trail is an innovative, Australia-wide, second-hand garage sale promoting sustainability and encouraging people to take the plunge into circular living.
The sales will be held on the weekends of 13-14 and 20-21 November in the ACT and across the country with a convenient addition this year – PayPal is offering linked payments for online sales and touch-free QR code payments for in-person sales.
Garage Sale Trail’s brand ambassador is well-known singer/songwriter, and radio and TV presenter, Ella Hooper, who has been shopping secondhand since childhood, and has a deep passion for thrifted fashion.
“To me, it’s more fun and less stressful. Growing up we didn’t have much money and I loved fashion and style. I feel more carefree and creative when I can get 10 items for $50, you don’t sweat the price tag and try more adventurous things,” Ella says.
“In some ways it can be harder and more involved than going to a shop with a range of sizes and predicable stock, but the feeling of finding a one-off thing that suits you down to in the ground in your size, is incomparable. It’s a high only thrifters know. If you know, you know!”
The environmental and social costs are also important aspects of thrifting that Ella says is another big reason she prefers to fill her wardrobe with secondhand pieces.
“Excess – even though I’m drawn to nice things as much as anyone else – makes me feel uncomfortable. If I amass too much ‘stuff’, I feel guilty and weighed down by it. I think of those who have so much less, and we were basically raised to check your privilege on all fronts,” Ella says.
“Consuming and access to both high end and fast fashion is part of that. Because I do have such a privileged position and have had a lot of nice clothes and glitzy opportunities afforded to me in my life, balancing that out when I can feels right.”
Ella’s absolute favourite thrifted item she has managed to score is a 1960s plastic raincoat with a whale on it – a festival fave, she says.
“I feel like not buying off the rack and having a more involved or crafted relationship with fashion and style has helped me get where I am. In my business, it’s essential to stand out, to have an identifiable ‘thing’,” Ella says.
“My thing was very much my look as well as my sound, and that was a product of being hands on, a bit more DIY and thrifty with my fashion choices. Mixing op shop with designer and home crafted, made the early (some say iconic, I say ‘arghhhh’ bury them!) Killing Heidi [her band] looks what they were.”
Garage Sale Trail director and co-founder, Andrew Valder, says this year’s event is set to offer so many weird and wonderful items to be discovered, and in Canberra it’s supported by the ACT Government.
“Shoppers can choose from more than a million items up for sale across the country, knowing that they’re contributing to a more circular economy. We have over 10,000 sellers registered and well over one million items listed for sale,” Andrew says.
“We’ve seen a sailing boat, beautiful antique lounges, and more fashion than you’d find in a winter wardrobe!”
The sales will continue across the next two weekends, giving Canberrans ample opportunity to venture out and search through the treasure-trove of pre-loved goods on offer in the ACT.
“It feels really great to be doing something that is making a positive contribution to people and the planet. It’s amazing to see how the world has changed,” Andrew says.
“Back when we used to talk about a circular economy, people used to look at you a little blankly, but now we’re in the middle of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 and the world is changing, thankfully .
“The second-hand fashion economy is forecasted to exceed the size of the fast fashion economy by 2028, it’s just absolutely exploding. The idea of a circular economy is starting to become a part of people’s lives.”
There are Covid-19 checks in place, and Andrew says during the year of the pandemic it’s important everyone complies with the regulations – sellers have Covid safety checklists, there’s signage available and touch-free, cashless payments through QR codes provided by PayPal.
The Garage Sale Trail has been growing in momentum across Canberra, and in 2020:
- 315 events were held with over 5,000 sellers and shoppers
- Over 34 tonnes of items were saved from landfill
- Almost $40,000 was made
- 28 per cent of shoppers agreed they were more likely to buy second-hand after the event
- 72 per cent of sellers were involved for the first time
- On average, $308 was made per garage sale
It’s a chance to make a few extra dollars with garage sales averaging $400 that goes straight into the seller’s pocket.
Check out where you can find a sale in the ACT at garagesaletrail.com.au
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