An Undy woman has recently organised a Reloved Kids Market in her home town, bringing together families selling preloved baby and children’s clothes, toys and accessories.

Jenine Hughes knew there would be plenty for sale, but hadn’t anticipated just how much perfectly good preloved stuff there would be in one room.

“Seeing it all together made me think about how much we buy new,” she told the Beacon.

“There’s something about having your first child that makes you want everything fresh, untouched and ready for this huge new chapter.

“But having a second baby makes you wiser about how quickly babies grow and how little use some of the things you buy actually get.”

Platforms such as Vinted make buying and selling preloved items easy, but postage can quickly add to the cost of cheaper items. Charity shops play an important role, but sometimes an item feels too good to simply give away. An outfit worn twice or barely-used baby equipment could still have plenty of life left.

“There’s something different about finding a bargain at a preloved market and taking it home for a few pounds. As a seller, it’s lovely to know where your things are going, while giving them a chance to be used by another family and recouping some of what you spent.”

However, she added finding the balance between making preloved items affordable and recognising their value can be tricky. Sellers want to feel they’re getting a decent amount back while buyers are naturally looking for a bargain.

“When buying things for my son and daughter now, I’ve found myself thinking, what am I actually going to get back for this? It makes me think twice about buying too much brand new. There’s also something satisfying about buying something preloved, knowing that when you’ve finished with it, you might be able to sell it on for a similar price. You get the use out of it without losing much money, and someone else gets the chance to use it next.”

She believes the real shift is simply to look at preloved before buying new. “So much of what we need for our children is already out there, still useful, still in good condition and waiting to be used again. Perhaps we just need to get better at looking for it.”

She is currently arranging another sale in November