With half of her clothes sourced from op shops, Melinda Lee Harvey wants to share her passion while raising money for charity.

She wants people to embrace recycled clothing for its fun and fashion and its practical side of reusing resources.

Perseverance could be rewarded by quality and near-new items at a fraction of their usual cost, she said.

With this in mind, Miss Harvey has organised Rags 2 Riches, a pre-loved clothing event this Saturday at Speers Point Sailing Club.

There will be two fashion parades, and women's, men's and children's clothes, shoes and accessories for sale for $5 or less with all merchandise donated.

"At Rags 2 Riches there will be the best bargains you can find, and also show how easy it is to put together and how good it looks," she said.

The event is a fund-raiser for Peaks Foundation, with all proceeds going to to support women, girls and conservation in the Andes.

Miss Harvey and two other Novocastrians, Sonja Duncan and Kim-Cherie Davidson, hope to raise $15,000 by October as part of the Peak Foundation's Annual Challenge to South America in 2014.

■ Rags 2 Riches, Saturday, May 24, Speers Point Sailing Club, 9am to 1pm, fashion shows 10am and 11am, entry $2.