Kopche

Why it matters: run by the Red Cross of the City of Skopje since 2018, Kopche is a second-hand shop where one rack of donated clothes does three jobs at once – sold cheap to whoever walks in, given away free by voucher to families in social risk, and worked by people from vulnerable groups being brought back into employment. Clothing too worn to resell gets cut up and sewn into patchwork bedding and holiday decorations instead of going to landfill. Come to rummage rather than to shop a curated rail, and ask after the patchwork pieces – they are the only-here buy. Practical tip: it is inside the Red Cross building on Bul. Kocho Racin, a short walk from Macedonia Square; open to 17:00 on weekdays but only to 14:00 on Saturday and closed Sunday, and you can drop off clothes you are done travelling with while you are there.