How Much Can You Really Save Buying Preloved Kids' Clothing? (We Did the Maths)

We all know buying secondhand is supposed to save money — but how much are we actually talking?

For Australian families dressing growing children, the answer depends heavily on what you would otherwise buy new, where you shop secondhand, the brands you choose and whether clothes are passed on or sold again afterwards.

Rather than claiming there's one percentage every family will save, let's do the maths using some simple examples and see how the economics of preloved children's clothing can work.

The True Cost of Dressing a Child from Birth to Age 5

Children can move through clothing sizes remarkably quickly, particularly during their first few years. That means parents aren't buying one wardrobe and using it for five years — they're repeatedly replacing clothing as their child grows.

There's no single reliable figure for what an Australian family will spend. Someone buying mostly budget basics will have a very different clothing bill from someone buying premium brands.

So instead, let's use an illustrative example.

Suppose a family spends the following amounts building and supplementing a new wardrobe as their child moves through five broad size stages:

• Newborn: $250
• Baby: $300
• Toddler: $400
• Preschool: $400
• Prep/Kindy: $400

In this example, the total spent on new clothing would be $1,750.

That's not intended as an estimate of what every Australian family spends. Some will spend considerably less and others considerably more. It simply gives us a starting point for comparing the effect of buying some or all of that clothing secondhand.

Now Let's Look at the Preloved Numbers

Imagine that the same family is able to assemble broadly equivalent wardrobes secondhand for half the amount they would otherwise have spent new.

• Newborn: $125
• Baby: $150
• Toddler: $200
• Preschool: $200
• Prep/Kindy: $200

Total secondhand spend in this example: $875.

Compared with the hypothetical $1,750 new-clothing spend, that's a saving of $875.

The important point isn't that secondhand clothing will always cost exactly 50% less. It won't. The saving depends on the individual garment, brand, condition, seller, postage and the new price you're comparing it with.

Rather, the example shows how relatively modest savings repeated across many garments and several years can accumulate into a meaningful amount.

Shop preloved newborn & baby clothing →

What If You Only Buy Some Clothes Secondhand?

You don't need to build an entirely preloved wardrobe to save money.

Suppose that instead of reducing the $1,750 illustrative new-clothing budget by 50%, you reduce it by different amounts:

This is why a mixed approach can still make a significant difference. You might buy some things new, receive hand-me-downs, find inexpensive bundles and buy selected garments from preloved retailers or marketplaces.

What matters financially is the difference between what you actually spend and what you would otherwise have spent.

The Resale Factor: Can You Recover Some of What You Spend?

There's another part of the calculation that's easy to overlook.

If clothing remains in good condition after your child outgrows it, you may be able to pass it on or sell it again.

That means the purchase price isn't necessarily the final cost of owning the garment.

For example, if you buy a garment secondhand for $20 and later sell it for $8, your effective cost was $12, excluding any selling fees, postage or the value of your time.

If you buy another garment for $10 and simply pass it on afterwards, your effective cost remains $10 — but another child can continue using it.

Whether resale makes financial sense depends on the value of the garment and how much work is involved in photographing, listing, communicating with buyers and arranging delivery or collection.

If you'd like to compare those trade-offs, our guide to the best places to sell secondhand baby and children's clothes in Australia looks at the main selling options.

Why Quality Preloved Kids' Brands Can Make Financial Sense

One of the advantages of shopping secondhand is that it can make clothing from higher-priced brands accessible at a lower price than buying the same garment new.

That doesn't automatically make an expensive brand better value. The condition and secondhand price still matter.

But a well-made garment in excellent condition may have substantial useful life remaining, particularly when the previous child simply outgrew it rather than wore it out.

This gives parents two different ways to use the secondhand market:

• Spend less overall while buying roughly the same amount of clothing, or
• Use the same budget differently by choosing garments or brands that would have cost more new.

Only the first necessarily produces a cash saving, but both can represent value depending on what matters to your family.

The Savings Can Multiply With Each Child

If you have more than one child, clothing that survives in good condition can become even more economical.

A $20 garment worn by one child costs $20 before any resale value is considered. If it can then be worn by a younger sibling, the purchase has effectively provided clothing for two children.

If it survives for a third child, the cost per child falls further.

Of course, this works best when sizing, seasons and individual children's needs line up. Not every carefully saved wardrobe will conveniently fit the next child at exactly the right time of year.

But when hand-me-downs work, they can substantially reduce the amount of replacement clothing a family needs to buy.

What About Your Baby's First Year?

The economics can be particularly interesting during infancy because babies may move through several clothing sizes in a relatively short period.

If you're specifically budgeting for a new baby, we've separately looked at how much buying secondhand baby clothes could save during your baby's first year, including example budgets and the types of baby clothing that can make particularly good secondhand purchases.

Don't Forget the Cost of Postage

One factor that can quickly erode the saving on inexpensive secondhand clothing is delivery.

A $5 garment with a separate postage charge may not compare particularly favourably with buying new. Buying several garments from the same seller or retailer allows the delivery cost to be spread across the order.

That's one of the advantages of shopping somewhere with a large selection in each size. At Daisy Chain Clothing, parents can combine multiple preloved garments into one order rather than paying separate postage to several individual sellers.

Wherever you shop, compare the total delivered cost rather than looking only at the advertised garment price.

Price Isn't the Same Thing as Value

The cheapest secondhand item isn't necessarily the best buy.

A $3 pair of pants that's already heavily worn may represent worse value than a $10 pair in excellent condition that can be worn extensively and perhaps passed on again afterwards.

When comparing preloved clothing, consider:

• Condition
• Remaining useful life
• Original quality
• Whether you'll actually use it
• Postage or collection costs
• Potential to pass it on or resell it afterwards

Good value is ultimately about what you receive for the money you spend — not simply finding the lowest possible price.

Where to Buy Preloved Kids' Clothing in Australia

Australian parents have plenty of options, including specialist preloved retailers, online marketplaces, op shops, local parenting groups and children's markets.

We've compared the advantages and disadvantages of the main options in our guide to the best places in Australia to buy preloved and secondhand children's clothes.

We also have local guides for parents looking for secondhand children's clothing in:

Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Perth

Where to Start

The key to making preloved work financially is finding the combination of price, condition, convenience and selection that works for you.

Marketplaces can offer excellent bargains, particularly when buying bundles. Op shops can reward patient browsing. Specialist preloved retailers provide another option for parents who would rather shop from clothing that's already been assessed before being listed.

At Daisy Chain Clothing, we stock thousands of preloved baby and children's garments across a wide range of sizes and brands. Each item is assessed before being listed, and having a large range means parents can combine multiple garments into a single order.

Browse our range of preloved baby and children's clothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can I save buying preloved kids' clothing?

There's no percentage that applies to every purchase or family. Your saving depends on the secondhand price, what the equivalent new clothing would have cost, condition, postage and how much clothing you buy.

For example, if the new clothing you would otherwise have bought cost $1,000 and you obtain equivalent clothing for $600, you've saved $400, or 40% of that particular budget.

Is preloved kids' clothing safe to buy?

Ordinary secondhand clothing can be a practical option when it's clean and in suitable condition. Check garments for excessive wear, holes, damaged fasteners, loose components, stretched elastic and other problems before use.

At Daisy Chain Clothing, garments are assessed before they're listed for sale.

Which kids' clothing brands hold their resale value best in Australia?

Resale value can vary significantly according to the particular garment, condition, original price, current demand and how common the item is on the secondhand market.

Recognisable brands can attract secondhand demand, but the brand name alone doesn't guarantee strong resale value. Condition and the price a buyer is willing to pay remain important.

How do I know what size to buy preloved?

Australian children's clothing commonly uses age-related sizes such as 000, 00, 0, 1 and 2, but fit isn't completely standardised between brands.

If you're unfamiliar with a brand, checking its size guide or garment measurements where available can be useful.

Is it cheaper to buy secondhand kids' clothes in bundles?

It can be. Bundles can offer particularly good value for everyday basics and can reduce the cost and inconvenience of buying individual garments separately.

However, a bundle is only genuinely good value if enough of the included clothing is useful to you. Ten inexpensive garments aren't necessarily a bargain if your child will only wear three of them.

Can I sell preloved clothes again after my child outgrows them?

Potentially. If the clothing remains in good condition, it may still be suitable to sell, pass on or donate.

If you're considering selling, our guide to the best places to sell secondhand baby and children's clothes in Australia compares the main options.

Can I send my kids' outgrown clothing to Daisy Chain Clothing?

Yes, provided it meets our acceptance criteria. The Daisy Chain Clothing Outgrown Kit allows you to send suitable outgrown baby and children's clothing to us in a prepaid satchel.

We assess each garment and calculate a cash and higher-value Daisy Chain Clothing credit payout based on its expected Daisy Chain Clothing selling price. You don't have to photograph and list the garments yourself or wait for each individual item to sell.

If you'd prefer to compare the different ways of selling outgrown clothing first, see our guide to the best places to sell secondhand baby and children's clothes in Australia.

So, How Much Can You Really Save?

The examples above show why there isn't one honest answer that applies to every Australian family.

If you replace $1,750 of new-clothing spending with equivalent secondhand purchases costing $875, you've saved $875. If you mix new and secondhand and reduce the same hypothetical budget by 30%, you've saved $525.

Your real result depends on what you would otherwise have bought.

That's the more useful way to think about the economics of preloved children's clothing. The advantage isn't a guaranteed saving of 30%, 50% or 70%. It's the opportunity to buy clothing with useful life remaining for less than you would otherwise spend — and potentially pass it on or sell it again when your child outgrows it.

For children who can move through sizes remarkably quickly, those individual savings can add up.