How Emerald Again began…

Emerald Again came about when I was walking through an op shop (a regular occurrence for me!), and I thought about when I was unable to access them.

This was due to a number of factors, such as when I had a young child, when I had a highly demanding work schedule... and periods of time where getting out of the house just felt too mentally hard for me.

I realised there could be others, who like me, would also love to be in that op shop at that moment, but just physically or mentally couldn’t be there.

My desire for browsing second-hand shops didn’t disappear just because I wasn’t able to access it. I would’ve loved a more flexible way to access a second-hand shop during those times.

So this is Emerald Again. A service for anyone experiencing factors in their life where getting to a second-hand shop just isn’t possible at the moment. I totally understand! And I’m here to help 💚

Photo of Helen, the Founder of Emerald Again. She's smiling and is on holidays.

Hi, I’m Helen :-)

I love second-hand shopping! In particular, I have a passion for second-hand shops and the many benefits they have for our society.

I love the recycling; I love that they make many goods more accessible; and I love the variety of unique offerings and experiences they bring – even the same second-hand shop will be different each time you visit.

Thanks for checking out Emerald Again, and I look forward to meeting you!

Why Emerald Again?

Photo of yellow and blue gumboots being re-used as garden decorations. They're hung on a wall and growing beautiful green and red leafed plants out of them.

For me, second-hand shopping often involves not knowing what we’re looking for to begin with, and the thrill of wondering what will be found.

It’s about the stories and nostalgia behind the items we find, whether they be our own stories, or the stories we wonder it had before.

It’s about feeling inspired to create or to be a bit different, and turning someone else’s previous gem, into your gem - your emerald.

That open-ended, fun and inspiring browsing experience is what Emerald Again wants to re-imagine in the online space, and to make sure everyone can access browsing no matter where they are.

Several pieces of emerald which looks unpolished and cracked, yet still looks beautiful and unique with it's colour and texture.

What does “Emerald Again” mean?

Emeralds, no matter how new or old, always have a beauty within them.

I see the hidden gems we come across in second-hand shopping as like emeralds – something we find beauty and value in, and it doesn’t need to be brand new to achieve this.

The gorgeous green in emeralds also reminds me of environmental sustainability, and how important second-hand shopping is for our planet.

Lastly, emeralds sparkle. I hope this service can bring a bit of extra sparkle to some people’s lives.