Second life for used goods

THRIFT stores are all the rage now, especially with the younger generation but sustainable shopping means more than just discounted prices.

Charity shops are retail establishments run to generate income for the needy and usually sell pre-loved clothes, household items and books.

Whether you’re seeking tableware or a cute jacket for your next date, shopping at a charity shop enables you to give back while making a purchase.

Here’s a list of charity shops located in the Klang Valley that you can check out on your next shopping trip.

Bargain Basement

Started by IOI Foundation executive director Datin Joanne Wong, Bargain Basement receives preloved, unused or excess goods from the public and sells them at affordable prices.

Recognising the potential for preloved items while decluttering her home, Wong established a platform where items could be resold, with proceeds benefitting charity.

Bargain Basement offers customers a variety of second-hand items ranging from clothes, electronics and household furniture.

Since its inception, the initiative has generated over RM528,000, and all proceeds from sales have been channelled to over 33 charities nationwide.

It is present at four locations, IOI Mall in Puchong, IOI City Mall in Putrajaya, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) campus in Sungai Long and UTAR campus in Kampar, Perak, which all accept donated goods.

Items are sorted, cleaned and priced based on their value and condition.

For bulky items, Bargain Basement offers a pick-up service.

The initiative also encourages public involvement. Besides volunteering, Bargain Basement runs a BB Champion programme, in which the public can take on the role of managing a Bargain Basement store to raise funds for charity.

For details, go to www.bargainbasement.com.my

Charity Shoppe in Bandar Baru Bangi doubles up as a centre for community activities.

IOI Mall Puchong

EB2-01, Jalan Puchong, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Puchong, Selangor

Open daily from 10.30am to 9.30pm

IOI City Mall

B3-10, Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City, Putrajaya, Sepang, Selangor

Open daily from 10am to 10pm

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Sungai Long Campus,

Sub-basement, Block KB, UTAR, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang, Selangor Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Kampar Campus, Lower ground, Block G, UTAR, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, Kampar, Perak

Kedai Bless

What started as a small group of women seeking to aid the community has grown to become a household name among charity shops in Malaysia.

Kedai Bless, a project of SIBKL Community Bhd, opened its first outlet in 2005 in Bandar Tasik Selatan selling pre-loved items donated by the public.

As more donations poured in, the project expanded and more shops were set up across the Klang Valley to sell mainly clothes and accessories.

The stores’ net profits benefit Myanmar refugee children, the Orang Asli community and drug rehabilitation programmes.

The project also hires single mothers, Orang Asli, refugees and ex-drug rehabilitation centre residents.

Kedai Bless accepts donations at four out of five of its outlets: D’Aman Crimson, Sunway Mas Commercial Centre, Mid Valley Megamall and Citta Mall.

The 1 Utama Shopping Centre outlet operates solely as a purchasing point for pre-loved goods.

From time to time, these donated items are also distributed to the needy, Orang Asli, refugee communities and disaster victims.

Donated items that are beyond repair are sent to a recycling centre. Details can be found at www.kedaibless.com

Kedai Bless has several outlets including one at Mid Valley Megamall.

D’Aman Crimson

K-BG-02, Jalan PJU 1A/41, PJU 1 Ara Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5.30pm and Saturday from 10am to 5pm

Sunway Mas Commercial Centre

CP-K-6 Ground Floor, SMCC JLN PJU 1/3G, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5.30pm and Saturday from 10am to 5pm

Mid Valley Megamall

CP-01, Level P1, Centre Court, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Kuala Lumpur

Open daily from 10am to 10pm

Citta Mall

F33A, 1st Floor, Jalan PJU 1A/46, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open daily from 10am to 10pm

1 Utama Shopping Centre

(Old wing) LG126, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open daily from 10am to 10pm

Charity Shoppe

The Salvation Army Family Thrift Store collects, sorts and sells used items such as books. — Filepic

Located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Charity Shoppe is a second-hand store started by Islamic Relief Malaysia in 2012 that aims to raise funds for a variety of local and international welfare projects.

The store provides customers with a range of goods like clothes, decorative items, appliances, books and toys.

It also serves as a centre for community activities, such as a food bank.

Charity Shoppe also doubles as an information centre for those seeking news regarding humanitarian issues or campaigns run by Islamic Relief.

The shop prioritises the sale of affordable items and seeks to involve the community.

Run by a manager and two full-time staff, the shop also has volunteers who handle logistics.

For details, visit islamic-relief.org.my/charity-shoppe-2

A-05-G Paragon Point, Jalan Medan PB5, Jalan Pusat Bandar, Section 9, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

Kedai Jimat

The Salvation Army Family Thrift Store is the social enterprise arm of The Salvation Army Malaysia and was started in 2017.

They have a number of stores across Malaysia, with the Klang Valley outlet located in Subang Jaya.

The stores have something for everyone – toys, clothes, furniture, electrical items and even vintage goods such as CDs and radio cassette players.

As part of its mission, Kedai Jimat places emphasis on keeping items affordable to benefit underserved communities.

Items that would otherwise be out of their range, such as an oven that a single mother would need for her home-based catering business, can be found at Kedai Jimat.

Currently, the organisation has 180 children and 30 senior citizens at its residential homes and helps educate 30 adults with special needs.

The charity initiative also supports more than 150 families through a monthly food parcel programme and assists communities during times of emergency or disaster.

Donations of goods can be made at pick-up points across the country and for bulk items, collection services are available.

The public can organise a pre-loved goods collection day in their neighbourhoods or offices and a Salvation Army pick-up can be arranged via its website redshieldindustries.com.my

Twin Park, 15, Jalan Subang 7/1,

Taman Perindustrian Subang,

Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6pm and Saturday from 8.30am to 1pm

Jumble Station

Established under the Parents Without Partners programme in 2008, Jumble Station is a charity initiative to raise funds and assist single parents in need.

It sells used items such as clothes, books and household appliances at its outlets throughout the Klang Valley.

Funds from sales are channelled to single parents or used to sustain the non-governmental organisation’s operations.

The group also offers counselling, skills training and financial mentorship to single parents regardless of race, religion or class.

This includes identifying and creating micro-business opportunities for the community.

The group has two outlets in Subang Mewah and Jaya One mall, which also accept donated goods.

It also has a collection point at Dream Centre, Petaling Jaya.

Transport can be arranged for the collection of bulk items by contacting 016-220 2958.

The Parents Without Partners outlet at Subang Mewah accepts donations of pre-loved items.

Parents Without Partners Bhd

F1-01-03 Angsana Flats, Subang Mewah USJ1, Subang Jaya, Selangor

Open daily from 10am to 6pm

Jumble Station

Level P1, Jaya One, 72A Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya

Open daily from 10.30am to 6pm

Dream Centre

2 Jalan 13/1, Section 13, Petaling Jaya (Inform guards that items are for Jumble Station)

Sew X Dignity

Refugees and single mothers are given training and entrepreneurship opportunities through the Sew X Dignity programme.

If you’re looking to support a charity initiative from the comfort of home, you can do so through the sew X dignity initiative.

Apart from providing goods and services to the public, the social enterprise trains youth, equipping them with life and employability skills.

Started by the Dignity for Children Foundation, the online store offers handcrafted creations like pouches, tote bags, shirts and reusable money packets.

A variety of trinkets such as key fobs, coasters and mini serving boards are also available.

The items are handmade by refugees and single mothers from Dignity’s Women Train Women programme.

The initiative trains and equips marginalised women through sewing workshops.

All items sold under the Sew X Dignity programme are handmade.

The women then receive orders for their creations or are hired so that they can earn a living from their work.

Currently, the initiative has about four full-time workers and 16 part-timers.

Their creations can be purchased at shopxdignity.org

A physical store will be launched in the next few months.