Lifeline Shops
Good. Sells second-hand or refurbished goods, so it creates no new factory work.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 2 sources
Lifeline charity op shops selling donated second-hand goods.
Lifeline Shops sell donated clothes, so buying there creates no new demand for factory or mining labour.
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Compare Lifeline Shops with another brand
Why it's graded Good
Graded on reuse
A business that sells second-hand, rented or refurbished goods is graded on reuse, not on this checklist. It's Good unless it has red flags, and it doesn't earn stars.
Red flags 0
None found.
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Lifeline Shops's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
Dresses & skirts, Shirts, Pants & trousers, Jeans, Knitwear, Jackets & coats, T-shirts, Shoes, Bags & backpacks, Kids' clothes: Good, the same as Lifeline Shops overall, because nothing we know differs between them.
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Evidence
What we found
Research notes Lifeline op shops are run by Lifeline's local member centres; Lifeline Direct alone runs over 30 stores in NSW and Victoria selling pre-loved goods donated by the public, so buying here creates no new demand for factory labour. Lifeline's first modern slavery statement (FY2024) lists retail and fundraising merchandise as a risk area but does not say whether any new stock is sold or where it is made, and reports no cases found.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | First modern slavery statement (FY2024) names retail and fundraising merchandise as a supply chain risk; no cases reported. View |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland is run by Wesley Mission, which requires all staff to affirm its Christian values. Wesley Mission refused a gay couple as foster carers in 2002, and in December 2010 a NSW tribunal ruled that a religious exemption covered it; that case did not involve Lifeline or its shops. Lifeline Australia itself sets no faith requirement for staff. Source
Sources and actions
Sources 2
Show all 2 sources
Published by Lifeline Shops or its owner
- Lifeline Australia Modern Slavery Statement 2024 · search the archive · Lifeline Direct runs 30+ stores selling donated pre-loved items; retail and merchandise named as risk; no cases reported
- New Lifeline Outlet Shop opens in Morisset (Lifeline Direct, May 2026) · search the archive · Lifeline Direct opened a new outlet in May 2026 selling pre-loved, second-hand clothing, books and media
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Lifeline Shops ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/lifeline-shops, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Good means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Lifeline Shops.