If you walked into Het Goed in Gorinchem with a blindfold on, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d just stepped into a John Lewis or a modern boutique.

Our first stop on the Dutch circular tour blew us away, not just because of what they sell, but how they sell it. It’s a masterclass in visual merchandising that makes "buying used" feel like a premium experience.

Space, Style, and Scaffolding

The first thing that hits you is the scale. Unlike many UK charity shops where navigating a pushchair or wheelchair can feel like an Olympic sport, Het Goed is vast, airy, and completely accessible.

The design is "industrial-chic" at its finest. They’ve used exposed ceilings and scaffolding poles to create clothing rails. But here’s the genius part: the scaffolding was free, and the rails are on wheels! This means they can flip the entire floor layout in minutes to showcase a new collection. Pure functional beauty. In fact, the merchandising is so good that even the furniture used for displays—like the tables showing off the shoe collection—is for sale!

It’s All in the Details

Walking through the store is like a treasure hunt designed by a professional stylist. We saw:

Playful Signage: Instead of boring "Clothing" signs, they have "Rocking Skirts from £2.99!" and curated areas for things like "The Perfect Picnic."
Creative Merchandising: Furniture mounted on the walls, denim curtains made from salvaged jeans, and that Rainbow Book Display that makes every book lover want to dive in.
High-Value Finds: They know their worth. Special, precious items are displayed in glass cabinets, giving them the respect (and price point) they deserve.

Closing the Loop

Perhaps the most inspiring part was seeing their Circular Bags. They take waste textiles that are too damaged to be sold as clothing and upcycle them into high-quality, durable shopping bags. They are literally turning "waste" into a branded product that shoppers are proud to carry.

The Selby Takeaway

Het Goed proves that when we value the environment of the shop, we value the items inside it more. This is exactly the energy we want to bring to our Shop for the Future project. Second-hand retail isn’t just about "giving stuff away"—it’s about reimagining the high street as a place of innovation, accessibility, and incredible style.

For more information on our trip to the Netherlands, read our blog series or watch our v-log series and check out our social media. If you’d like to read our report on our trip you can view this here, and if you’d like to help us level up the support from the Government for change in the waste and recycling industry, please do pass our High-level report to your local MP and ask them to push the movement forward.

For more information on our Shop for the Future project, read our news article or take a look at our page here.