How To Sell Used Clothes Online Sustainably

Did you know that humans produce approximately 92 million tonnes of textile waste each year? That’s equivalent to a garbage truck full of clothes being dumped in a landfill every second of every day!

With the rise of fast fashion, purchasing habits around the world have skyrocketed. People are buying clothes at higher rates than ever before. Yet the lifespan of an article of clothing is as short as it’s ever been.

Clothing is not made to last, and the fashion industry pushes 52 “micro-seasons” per year. Trends end as soon as they begin, creating a massive challenge for a sustainable future in fashion.

It is important now more than ever for individuals and brands to shift towards a circular economy. Building a culture where clothing holds meaning, thrifting is cool, and consignment shops are where people go to find a new addition to their wardrobe.

Luckily, there are many platforms committed to sustainability in fashion. They all provide a fun, easy way to recycle old clothing and give it a new life.

These platforms also provide a guilt-free way to shop online and update your wardrobe. Keep reading if you want to learn about the platforms that are powering the fight against fast fashion in hopes of a more sustainable future.

1. Flyp

Flyp is empowering the reseller revolution by creating a sustainable cycle for the secondhand industry. Not everyone has the time or the expertise to deal with reselling items, but those that do have been reselling as a side hustle for years. That’s where Flyp comes in.

The platform connects busy people looking to cash out on the things they no longer need with the independent entrepreneurs that can help. Flyp matches users with independent sellers who will help sell used clothes, shoes, and handbags. Sellers will handle the pricing, selling, and shipping for a commission. Everyone gets paid when the items sell; it’s a win-win.

2. ThredUp

ThredUp is an online consignment and thrift store that helps fill up your wallet, clean out your closet, and clean up the planet. The platform encourages users to shop with intention and reject throwaway fashion culture.

ThredUp allows people to give new life to their clothing by selling them to others. This helps to support a circular economy in fashion, where people can refresh their style without creating more waste.

Simply shop from the platform as normal, or order a “Clean Out Kit” to sell or donate the items you send off. ThredUp sells your items, keeps a commission, and sends you your profits. Unsold items can be shipped back to you or donated on your behalf.

3. Vestiaire Collective

Vestiaire Collective is a global marketplace for pre-owned luxury and designer fashions. The platform aims to be a force for good by fighting fashion waste and transforming the industry to support a more sustainable future.

Vestiaire Collective allows people to give a second life to the clothing they no longer wear. Users can buy luxury goods that have been authenticated. They can also list items for sale.

Once items are approved and sold, a percentage is sent to the seller’s bank account. The platform is working to reduce their environmental footprint, empower communities, and trigger systemic change.

4. Depop

Depop is home to over 30 million users who can buy, sell, discover, and explore inspiring and unique things. Not just for reselling fashion, but a hub for stylists, designers, artists, and creatives who are sharing fashion, design, art, and music.

The platform helps to preserve the environment by slowing down the demand for new fashion but also inspiring new actions and methods for the fashion industry. Users can list their items for free and handle all communications. Take photos of the item, describe the piece, set the price, get paid when the item sells, package, and ship the item to the buyer.

5. Poshmark

Poshmark is a popular marketplace with over 80 million users. People can buy and sell new and secondhand items for women, men, kids, pets, home decor, and more.

The platform is on a mission to reimagine the future of shopping by putting people at the heart of commerce and empowering everyone to thrive. Users can list an item with just a few clicks.

Take photos, fill in the description, set the price, get paid when the item sells, package, and ship the item to the buyer. Poshmark includes shipping prices in the listing, so sellers don’t have to calculate shipping on their own.

6. Tradesy

Tradesy is working to change the rules of luxury fashion by making the world’s most popular brands accessible and sustainable. The female-founded network connects buyers and sellers to create the smallest environmental footprint possible.

The platform values decreasing waste and increasing fairness by reducing the need for newly-produced, disposable, fast fashion. Users can sell bags, shoes, clothing, or accessories directly from their closets. Once a sale is made, Tradesy sends a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping kit to sellers, so they don’t have to deal with the hassle of packaging and shipping.

7. eBay

eBay creates a pathway to connect millions of buyers and sellers, empowering both with the economic opportunity to grow and thrive. The platform maintains strong ethical values and strives to build an inclusive, sustainable, and circular economy.

eBay invests in clean energy, efficient water usage, and diverting waste from landfills. Sellers create listings with a standout title, high-quality photos, the right price and can ship with ease by using an eBay deliver label. 

8. The RealReal

The RealReal is one of the world’s largest and most trusted resources for authenticated luxury resale items. Their mission is to create a circular economy for luxury items by extending the lifecycle of items that have been designed to last a lifetime.

The platform is dedicated to a sustainable future by promoting social change and moving towards concuss consumption. Users can buy and sell clothing, handbags, shoes, home items, art, and more.

Sellers can schedule a pickup, ship, or drop off items. A team at The RealReal will handle all the selling and get paid after a commission is taken.

9. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace makes a vast number of goods available to people where they already spend their time, social media. It’s a super easy and convenient way for people to discover, buy, and sell items.

The platform is helping people rediscover the idea of thrifting by making it accessible and done online. Facebook Marketplace is contributing to a sustainable future with less environmental waste, one recycled toy or piece of clothing at a time.

Users can list any type of item, schedule a pickup, or ship out items to buyers. Facebook Marketplace doesn’t take a cut from any profits made.

10. Refashioner

Refashioner sells hand-picked designer and vintage pieces from private collections. They specialize in truly one-of-a-kind fashion pieces and work to put some soul back into an industry that has become increasingly soulless.

The platform only selects specific items from specific sellers. They want items that have a story attached.

Things that Refashioner considers when looking to take on new pieces are; estate owners, avant-garde designers, vintage wardrobes that were personally collected, or pieces that are not mass-produced. Refashioner rejects a clothing market full of poorly made clothing, not built to last, by companies who value economic wins over aesthetic ones.

11. Mercari

Mercari connects millions of people across the U.S., allowing them to buy and sell almost anything. The platform supports sustainability and a circular economy by making it easy for people to buy, sell, or exchange outgrown items that still have value.

This marketplace is focused on exchanging items through at-home pickups or same-day deliveries. People can buy anything from electronics to handbags. Users can find an item they love on Mercari, choose to shop local, match a scheduled pickup with a seller, pay through the platform, and receive the item to their doorstep. 

12. Vinted

Vinted is on a mission to promote sustainable fashion choices by making secondhand options the first choice. The platform is committed to building a sustainable future for fashion that doesn’t revolve around throwaway culture.

Users can list an item for free on the Vinted app. Take photos of the item, describe the item, then press “Upload,” and the listing becomes live. When the item sells, box it up, print out a pre-paid shipping label, and send it out. Vinted has zero selling fees, so all the profit goes to the seller.