Graeme Kendall rarely misses the opportunity to snap up a bargain. He has been a loyal customer at his local tip shop for years and regularly digs out hidden treasures. In an increasingly throwaway society, tip shops and second-hand stores are playing a vital role in keeping rubbish out of landfill. However, as consumers turn toward e-commerce retailers like Shein and Temu that sell items at a very low cost, second-hand stores are being overwhelmed with donations of poor quality. Finding quality items at a low price comes with the territory for experienced tip-shoppers like Mr Kendall. Visits have not been as frequent since the retiree had a procedure on his eye last year. "When I was right, about 12 months ago, I would come here every four to six weeks," he said. "I haven't put it in yet but I've cut the hole in the deck so I can just walk out of my bedroom and get in the spa bath under the stars." Providing a second life The local tip shop and second-hand stores have long been ingrained in Australian society, giving household items and clothing a second life. The Reviva Centre, based in Noosa, plays a crucial role in keeping items out of landfill. Site manager Mitchell McIntyre said they had noticed an increase in sales over the past few years, and he suspected it was due to the cost-of-living crisis. People had told him they would normally go to big hardware stores, but these days, "They're coming to us first," he said. Trips to the tip have allowed Mr Kendall to save more than a penny or two. "Thousands and thousands and thousands, mate," he chuckled. "You've gotta walk around and see things and you use your imagination." The Reviva Centre, a not-for-profit, diverted more than 270 tonnes of waste last financial year and served more than 23,000 customers. Mr McIntyre admitted he had raised an eyebrow at a few things that had come through the facility. "Lately, we're averaging around 500 to 600 recycled mattresses every month. You can imagine 8,000 mattresses piled up in landfill. "We have guys here that will strip the mattress, take the steel out, get the foam out of it, and the foam will go down to Clark Rubber and be recycled into underlay. "It's saving a lot." Fast fashion crippling progress While some consumers are turning to a sustainable approach of using recycled goods to save money, experts argue the progress made is likely being cancelled out by the rise of online fast-fashion stores. University of the Sunshine Coast international business educator and researcher Jacqueline Burgess said there was a tug of war taking place among young consumers. Dr Burgess said while people aged between 18 and 35 were more likely to shop at a second-hand store than any other demographic, they were also the biggest consumers of fast-fashion retailers. "While sustainability is important and a factor there somewhere, it seems like it's more low cost that is driving this," she said. Online retailer Shein recorded more than $1.2 billion in sales in the Australian market last financial year and it has set off a chain reaction. Dr Burgess said Shein's business model of low cost, low risk and fast delivery was creating a market for single-use clothing, wreaking havoc on local businesses. "Op shops are being absolutely drowned in donations but unfortunately the quality of those donations is decreasing, which then goes into landfill." Dr Burgess said the cost-of-living crisis was aiding fast fashion and that unless stricter regulations were implemented, online retailers were here to stay. "Secondhand stores are binning huge amounts of donations because they don't have the energy, time or resources to repair anything," she said. "It's a real cycle of problems happening here."