Canberra's op shops are caught in an impossible position as they juggle the needs of the community.
They are trying to keep their stores affordable while raising money for relief programs, all while coping with Australia's growing waste problem.
Anglicare ACT is struggling to keep up with the volume of clothing and the demand for food relief, Laura Dawson said.
"We try to look at it two ways," the volunteer manager said.
"We get so much and we really try and make sure that if it's not good enough to go in our shops that we find other ways to recycle it. It does take time."
Vinnies Canberra recently told The Canberra Times their donations were up 300 per cent compared to 2014.
But because of the low quality of the clothes they receive, a significant proportion has to be recycled or discarded.
Around 1 million tonnes of clothing is donated to Australian op shops every year, industry monitors say.
Op shops juggling community needs
Anglicare's manager of volunteers Laura Dawson said they were balancing multiple roles.
"We really see ourselves as a point for the community, a really nice place for volunteers to come be connected with our community," she said.
"We're also looking at the sustainability side of things and trying to make sure as many items as we can doesn't go to landfill, but also ensuring that everyone gets a great bargain."
Anglicare said its op shops were places where people on low incomes could come and buy cheap clothes and household items. The revenue is then cycled back into its charity programs, which include a food pantry and homelessness support.
The clientele of op shops has shifted, too, with second-hand shopping becoming a trend for younger generations and a way to showcase personal style without buying fast fashion.
Ms Dawson said the demographics of their shoppers had "definitely changed".
"Before we saw quite a big market of people not being able to afford general shops, having to come to second-hand shops," she said.
"But now we're getting more people that are on the sustainability train and are turning their backs on fast fashion and wanting to come here to get great prices on better brand clothing."
They'd love to see a textiles recycling centre in Canberra, which would help repair clothing that's been damaged and reuse stuff that can't be fixed.
Outrage over rising prices
Op shops have been fighting wars on both fronts with the rising cost-of-living, trying to provide low-cost goods to the community at their stores, and fund their increasingly in-demand charity programs.
More and more Canberrans are turning to charities for food and clothing, and then when stores have to raise their prices, others complain of being "priced out" of second-hand shops.
Ms Dawson said they were getting more than 15 people a day at their food pantry in Queanbeyan. A few years ago they served around 20 a week.
"We know cost of living has just exploded," she said.
"We try and make sure that we're offering i[emergency relief] for all ranges of clients that come in."
Anglicare has also raised its store prices in recent years, along with the majority of Canberra op shops. The charity said keeping prices low was a priority, but they had to factor in costs such as rent.
It's a balance all op shops were trying to make, Richard Wood from the Australian Red Cross said.
The charity's head of retail said the money raised from their stores went directly into their charity programs, and the average price of an item at Red Cross retail stores was $9.
"We know that our generous donors, who provide us with quality products, expect their donated goods to be appropriately priced to raise funds for the humanitarian work we do," he said.
"We also then balance this against satisfying our customers with products that represent good value."
He said they were always in need of more quality donations.
It's important to remember why op shops exist, a Vinnie spokesperson said.
"We're here to raise funds to give out to the most vulnerable," they said.
Ms Dawson agreed, saying serving the local community was the reason for their shops.
"We get to see that every day through our food program," she said.
"And I think it's just, it's a reminder for us to remember why we're here."
