Thrifter's paradise: A neighborhood guide to Prague's secondhand shops

The second-hand market is booming in Czechia, fuelled by the economy, ethical buying, and ease of purchase online. Buying from Czech second-hand shops, vintage, and charity shops is not only a great way to save on clothing but also to be more environmentally friendly. 

As inflation looms over the country, the prices for clothing items are on the rise. According to the Czech Statistical Office, clothing prices rose by 19.9 percent compared to last year, footwear is 15.4 percent more expensive. This is influenced by the growth of fuel prices and the materials themselves.

Shopping second-hand is not just a good bargain, but a great ethical choice in many respects. 

Purchasing a second-hand item helps the environment and preserves natural resources. A not-so-fun fact: one pair of jeans takes 7,500 liters of water to make – including the water used to grow the cotton, make the denim, and get the product shop-ready. 

Apart from labor and materials, a great deal of energy and natural resources goes into creating the packaging for a product. While buying secondhand, you will not be paying for unnecessary packaging that would go to waste. 

Whether you’re buying from a thrift store, consignment shop, vintage store, a person who posted secondhand goods on a marketplace, or a pop-up market down the street, the money you spend stays in the neighborhood rather than going into the pocket of corporations.

In Prague, many such shops also support charitable causes. 

Sue Ryder sells donated items and the money earned goes into financing care for the elderly. The addresses for their six locations can be found here. 

Thrifting can help not only people but also animals. Charity shop Pet Heroes donates profits to help animals in need, those who were abused, abandoned, wandering, or handicapped.

Needless to say that shrift shopping is simply fun! While browsing the shops, you could find truly unique items: whether it is a vintage designer item, a piece of furniture with fascinating history, a must-read book, or quirky, hard-to-find games for your family or friends.

When it comes to online second-hand shopping, the most popular websites to buy/sell in the Czech Republic are bazos.cz and sbazar.cz.

A secondhand fashion app Vinted has only recently gained popularity in the Czechia, although it has been reigning as the number one resale marketplace in the EU.

Among other online second-hand shops in the Czech Republic are 1981.cz, Win Win Love (watches and jewelry), Mint shop, Crashily, Sekáčmix, Brumla, Unimoda, Nana vogue, Second hand Marcela, tak trochu jiný sekáč.

This list is regularly updated at Protisedi.cz.