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Celebrating our Op Shops: Join Us for World Op Shop Day!

01/10/2025

It’s time to celebrate a vibrant and essential piece of our community fabric— our op shops! As we mark the new inaugural World Op Shop Day this Saturday October 18th 2025, we invite our valued customers and donors alike to dive into the incredible impact of our op shops.

A Journey Through Time: The Birth of Op Shops

Did you know that the concept of op shops, or "opportunity shops," has been around for over a century in Australia? Although it all started in the 1920s with Lady Millie Tallis in Melbourne, where she envisioned a dignified space for second-hand goods that could support community causes, Salvos innovative approach to recycling quickly caught on from our origins in the 1880s, leading to a nationwide movement of op-shops that continues to thrive today. Here in Australia, Salvos Stores now spans over 400+ locations reaching from metro to rural regions.

The Salvation Army’s Legacy of Sustainability

Long before the term "circular economy" became popular, The Salvation Army was already pioneering sustainable practices. Since the late 19th century, we’ve been collecting, sorting, and recycling used goods, clothing and materials. The first Salvation Army recycling depots in Melbourne and Sydney opened in 1883, providing both employment and housing support to those in need, while promoting environmental consciousness locally.

One remarkable example is The Anchorage Hostel in Abbotsford, Victoria, where items were repaired and repurposed into new garments or woven into mats for local businesses. These initiatives laid the foundation for what we now recognise as circular economy thinking—extending the life of goods through reuse, recycling, and repurposing.

Why World Op Shop Day Matters

World Op Shop Day is more than just a celebration; it's a call to action. Op shops play a crucial role in reducing waste, supporting those in need, and funding essential community and welfare programs. Every month, Salvos Stores help divert millions of items from landfill, contributing back literal tonnes of textiles, electronics, and home goods into the circular economy.

Be a Changemaker!

By supporting op shops, you’re not only giving items a second life but also championing a sustainable future. Each purchase minimises the demand for fast fashion and fast retail, helping to lower the industry's environmental impact. Your role as a customer, donor, or volunteer is vital to help support the planet, and our mission.

Join us on World Op Shop Day

Mark your calendars for Saturday October 18th 2025, and join us in celebrating the power of second-hand. Whether you’re donating, shopping, or volunteering, your involvement helps create positive change. Together, we can continue to support our communities, reduce waste, and build a brighter, more sustainable future.

So, are you ready to make a difference? Let's celebrate the impact of op shops and rally behind a cause that benefits us all. 

Get involved, give back, and be part of something bigger this World Op Shop Day. 

Find out more here: Charitable Reuse Australia

diversity

Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight alongside others, to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus

Through our commitment to reconciliation, The Salvation Army acknowledges the First Nations peoples of Australia as the traditional custodians of this land. We further acknowledge and pay our respects to past and present Elders, giving thanks for their wisdom that has sustained their people since the beginning of time, and we pledge to support emerging and future generations