Three of Hong Kong's Most Sustainable Shops

Nov 03, 2023

Part of our sustainability mission is to save and celebrate beautiful, collectible secondhand furniture and decor from landfills. Waste is a huge problem worldwide, but especially in Hong Kong. On the plus side, as stated by US-based e-tailer Chairish in their 2022 Home Furnishings Resale Report, resale home furnishing sales will grow 29% and reach $22B by 2027. Good for us, great for the planet! In the US, secondhand and vintage furniture shopping has become mainstream (thankfully, as 12M tonnes of furnishings are currently thrown out domestically per year), and in Europe, the hobby has been established for some time. By now you've browsed our selection of Preowned and Upcycled pieces, but what about options for books, clothing and children's items? See our edited list of fabulous local shops and websites below.

1. Flow Bookshop

Since 1997 shopkeeper and bibliophile Surdham Lam has been keeping Hong Kongers used books in circulation at his secondhand book shop Flow. Each visit, you'll find a new range of titles from bestsellers to reference as Flow's donation-based collection is invariably eclectic. Case in point, in 2017 Flow was recipient of 1,000 titles from the estate of avid reader and collector Sir David Tang. Bring some books, buy some books, but let's agree to never throw away any books.

Flow Bookshop: 1A Wing Cheong Commercial Building, 19-25 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, +852 9278 5664

Lily Bookshop (sister location): 1F-G Kai Fung Building, 189 Queen's Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, +852 6977 5833

Redress, an environmental NGO working to reduce waste in the fashion industry, states that 170 tonnes of clothes are thrown away every day in Hong Kong. Add that to textile pollution being the second-largest pollutant in the world, and there is an imperative to first, buy less, and second, to only sell or donate your unwanted clothing items.

2. Hula

Founded by former Lane Crawford alum and Central Saint Martins grad Sarah Fung in 2017, HULA started with a small, curated selection of preowned designer items sourced from a community of die-hard fashionistas and industry insiders. It has since grown from an online shop to having two brick-and-mortar locations in Hong Kong - a store in Central and a warehouse in Quarry Bay which houses over 5,000 pieces at up to 95% off retail. For a truly circular experience, book a pre-approved appointment to drop-off of the pieces you are ready to part with, and browse the current inventory at the same time. A win-win, we'd say!

Website: thehula.com

Boutique: Shop C, Ground Floor, 56-58 Hollywood Rd
Central, Hong Kong, +852 2544 1211, Whatsapp +852 6290 2106

Warehouse: 404, Berkshire House, 25 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2544 1511, Whatsapp +852 6290 2106, Closed Sunday & Public Holidays

Accordingly to Retykle, the average person outgrows over 1,500 articles of clothing in childhood. In families with multiple children that sure adds up.

3. Retykle

Sarah Garner, a former luxury fashion manager at companies including LVMH, Richemont, Lane Crawford, and Selfridges Group, was inspired to create an efficient and effective way to recirculate children’s fashion, gear, and toys after becoming a parent herself. Retykle sells over 2,500 of the world’s best children’s and maternity brands at up to 90% off, and has a presence in both Hong Kong and Singapore - plus worldwide shipping. Shopping on Retykle rewards parents for making high quality purchase decisions with a points systems, and parents know their purchases kept perfectly good pieces both in circulation and away from the landfill. Next time you need to buy an item or a gift for a kid in your life, browse their massive inventory before buying new.

Website: retykle.com

Studio: Unit 8D, Sing Teck Factory Building, 44 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong, +852 3594 6533. WhatsApp +852 6117 2150