Our Second Hand Children's Clothes Awards
Our Story
I have always had an appreciation for children’s clothing with a story behind it. Growing up, hand-me-downs were part of everyday life. I visited charity shops with my parents and, as the youngest of three girls, I was lucky enough to inherit my sisters’ favourite wardrobe pieces once they outgrew them. Those early experiences shaped my love for affordable, thoughtful clothing choices.
When I had my first child, that love grew even stronger. I sourced most of our baby clothing second hand, along with a preloved pushchair, saving money while reducing waste. I quickly became an eco-conscious parent and started looking for more ways to lower our family’s carbon footprint. Cloth nappies, charity shop bargains and reusing wherever possible became part of everyday life.
One moment that really stayed with me was finding a beautiful vintage St Michael floral dress with an embroidered collar for my youngest. I fell in love instantly. It reinforced my belief that children’s clothing doesn’t need to be brand new to be special.
After returning to work from maternity leave, life became increasingly busy. We learned that our son had additional needs, and then COVID hit our household. My eldest daughter was severely affected, resulting in a hospital admission and long-term health issues. Like many families, everything changed very quickly.
During this time, I began selling used children’s clothing across online platforms while also sourcing the next sizes for my own children. I was amazed at how many items looked almost new and how much value could still be found in them. I completed over 500 sales and received five-star feedback on every one.
In March 2023, I made the incredibly difficult decision to leave my full-time job. My youngest daughter was struggling in her childcare setting, and with three children — two with additional needs — I knew I had to put my family first. It was a hard decision and came with many tears, but it was the right one for us.
I’ve always been someone who needs to keep busy, so not long after, I took a leap of faith and launched Little Ones Preloved in April 2023. My vision was simple: a website full of high-quality second-hand baby and children’s clothing at affordable prices, making sustainable shopping accessible for more families.
Little Ones Preloved quickly grew beyond what I ever imagined. We stocked clothing from newborn to 14 years, including everyday wear, schoolwear and playwear. Every item was carefully quality-checked, restored where possible, and prepared with care. I loved knowing that these outfits would go on to create new memories for other families.
As a mum of three, I know how difficult it can be to fit shopping into an already packed schedule. That’s why the business was designed to be easy to shop online — allowing parents, grandparents and carers to shop on the go.
Helping Families in Need
Supporting families has always been at the heart of this business.
During the cost-of-living crisis, I became increasingly aware of how many families struggle to afford children’s clothing. This led to the creation of my Clothing in Deed Initiative, supporting families in need across Norfolk.
What started as donating unsold or imperfect stock quickly grew into something much bigger. Families reached out for help, and others generously offered donations so we could support even more children. Through this initiative, I was able to send 2–3 clothing parcels each month, personally covering the postage costs. In total, over 20 parcels were sent to children who needed them most.
At present, the Clothing in Deed Initiative is temporarily paused while the business transitions and restructures following our move to Ex Chainstore Kids. However, helping families remains incredibly important to me, and I fully intend to reintroduce Clothing in Deed very soon once the business is in a position to do so.
A New Chapter – Ex Chainstore Kids
By October 2025, the business had naturally evolved.
While sustainability has always remained at the heart of what I do, I recognised a growing need for brand-new children’s clothing that is still affordable and waste-reducing. This led to an exciting new chapter — transitioning from preloved clothing to brand-new ex-chainstore children’s clothing from trusted high street brands.
And so, Ex Chainstore Kids was born.
Ex-chainstore clothing allows us to give brand-new, unworn items a home that might otherwise end up in landfill — clothing from cancelled orders, excess stock or discontinued lines from major retailers. While our stock changed, our values did not. Affordability, quality and reducing unnecessary waste remain at the core of everything we do.
Changing our name reflected this evolution and ensured clarity for our customers, while allowing the business to grow in a responsible and sustainable direction.
Today, Ex Chainstore Kids stocks brand-new ex-chainstore children’s clothing from newborn to 14 years, including everyday essentials and schoolwear. We offer popular high street brands at significantly reduced prices, with every item carefully quality-checked when it arrives and again before dispatch.
Awards & Recognition
Since launching, the business has been incredibly fortunate to receive recognition for its work:
- July 2023 – Selected as a Small Business Sunday Winner by Theo Paphitis
- October 2023 – Shortlisted for Norfolk Small Business Hero of the Year
- October 2023 – Winner of the Sustainability Award at The Business Awards
- November 2023 – Public voting stage of the World Ecommerce Awards
- November 2023 – Awarded Best Preowned Baby/Children’s Apparel eTailer – UK by Lux Life Global Excellence Awards
Being recognised in this way — particularly through customer nominations — has been one of the most humbling parts of this journey.
Looking Ahead
While the business has changed, the heart behind it hasn’t.
Ex Chainstore Kids exists to help families dress their children affordably, responsibly and with confidence, without compromising on quality. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported this journey so far and excited for what’s still to come.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story.
If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please email: