Some men's shoes from Louis Vuitton valued at 1,500 euros for only 250? Yes, you can find them. And not in a boutique sale, but in one of the solidarity shops in the province. The points of sale of NGOs such as Cudeca, DEBRA Piel de Mariposa or Madre Coraje hide true treasures that come to them thanks to generous anonymous donations and that serve to raise funds with which to finance part of their projects.
On its shelves there is no shortage of firms such as Chanel, Victorio&Lucchino, Prada, Loewe or Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors or Rosa Clará wedding dresses. These are used garments or objects, always in very good condition; but there are also new items that arrive with the tag on. Far from the old image of a dark second-hand flea market that can remain in the collective imagination, these shops have been completely renovated, with a bright and modern decoration and new items practically every day. A showcase in which his work is also exhibited and which is already a mandatory stop for lovers of fashion, vintage items and curiosity hunters.
Brand-name clothing, vintage items or period furniture, among the most coveted products by curio hunters who come to these stores
The key to making this change of image possible are the volunteers, who are in charge of receiving, classifying and evaluating all the articles that arrive at the NGOs. They are the ones who have become true experts in fashion or antiques, capable of identifying the 'luxury' products from which they can make the most of it for the benefit of the associations.
With a battalion of 800 volunteers, a network of 19 points of sale distributed throughout the province –including two furniture stores and a furniture outlet– the Cudeca Cancer Care Foundation is one of the non-profit entities that experience you have with solidarity shops.
Mother Courage store. New Anna Studio, in DEBRA. Ted Baker bag./ SOUTH
Among some of the 'special' products that Cudeca has recently put up for sale is the pair of Louis Vuitton shoes that title these lines. «We have also received a Ted Baker bag for 120 euros in the market and we have put it for 30; Guess boots valued at 300 euros and that we have had for 90 euros; a Lladró figurine estimated at 180 euros and that we took out for 50 euros; or a hall set and the Renaissance-style mirror that is on sale for 1,500 euros," says the manager of the Cudeca stores, Daniel Beaudet, who points out that some of his regular customers are antique dealers looking for pieces like this one.
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25% of Cudeca's total income comes from solidarity stores. An amount, as explained by the entity, which is now campaigning to find new partners to support its work, caring for people with terminal cancer or advanced illnesses.
For María Suriñach, responsible for the nine stores of the DEBRA Piel de Mariposa association throughout Spain, these solidarity businesses are the perfect circle. “They give visibility to our cause; we obtain funds in a stable way, which allows us to plan in the long term, without having to depend on public aid or membership fees; we help to pollute less, reusing articles; and finally we make fashion, even branded, accessible to all budgets », she points out.
Another entity, Madre Coraje, has three stores in the capital, which are supplied with what is donated through their solidarity containers. In them you can find everything from authentic mink coats, to party dresses and branded clothing. «The prices they have make them 'fly' quickly from the coat rack to the customer's bag. Toys in their original packaging are also frequent”, indicates its manager, Avelino Mañas.
Butterfly Skin volunteers in Malaga. Furniture, also in Cudeca. Michael Kors, in DEBRA./ SOUTH
The annual income of the Madre Coraje stores is around 75,000 euros, representing approximately 7% of the total, and which is used to finance its development cooperation projects in Peru and Mozambique. But it is also a way of supporting low-income families who come to the entity derived from other NGOs and who are given free furniture, clothing or baby items. "Finally, we make high-quality clothing available to citizens, at practically symbolic prices, so that it can be purchased with the greatest dignity possible," says Mañas.
Technology Support
More than 300 volunteers are in charge of running the DEBRA tents. "We make great use of new technologies, first, to know how to value items well, looking at the market price, which we usually lower up to four times its value," he says. But also to be able to look for specialized buyers. DEBRA has profiles in second-hand sales applications such as Wallapop to expose some of its more specific products or that due to size do not fit in the store. A profile that Cudeca also has.
In her store in Malaga, DEBRA recently had a new skirt from Ana Studio worth 150 euros at 48; a Zerimar suede coat for 120 euros, when it costs almost 500 on the market; a new Marella blazer from €237 for €52, or a new Michael Kors blazer from €316 for only €52. “I see the value of what we sell in the way of helping people with this genetic disease. For me, the money we get – the stores account for 56% of the NGO's budget – means one more specialized nurse to help families, or someone in communication to raise awareness about this rare disease", adds Suriñach, who recalls that in 2016 they managed to contribute 113,401 euros to the investigation.
All stores: Madre Coraje, C/Antonio Trueba, 1; C/San Telmo, and in C/Punta Alta, 24. DEBRA, four in the provincetiendas.pieldemariposa.es. Cudeca: www.cudeca.org.
A point for the 'hand made' to benefit Avoi
Other NGO solidarity businesses in the province bet more on handmade products. The Avoi store on Calle Postigos sells the 'hand made' products made by its members in the craft workshops, in addition to the contributions of the relatives of the children undergoing cancer treatment whom it attends. As explained by its manager, Jeets Dhanani, its products –including bracelets, rubber bands or 'Scrapbook' boxes and notebooks– can also be purchased on its website www.avoi.es.
