Shopping for new clothing can be fun, but it can also be costly. Plus, constantly buying new clothes isn’t exactly sustainable for your wallet or the planet. Fortunately, plenty of options exist where you can donate or send in old clothes and receive something—discounts or even cash—in return. (This can be a great way to make extra money while you’re strengthening your financial skills!) Here’s the scoop on a few options.
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MADEWELL
Madewell, beloved for their jeans, offers a recycling program for your old denim. It’s also pretty simple. Just pop into one of their store locations with jeans that you no longer wear. The company partners with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green to transform the jeans into insulation for people in need. Madewell then gives you $20 off a pair of their jeans.
MARINE LAYER
Marine Layer is a clothing retailer that recycles old t-shirts through their Re-Spun program. You can drop off t-shirts at one of their locations or you can ask for a free mailing kit. They recycle the tees into yarn and even make new t-shirts with the recycled material. For every shirt you recycle with them, they give you a $5 credit to spend on new clothing. They do have a cap of $25, or five tees.
THREDUP
You’ve probably heard of ThredUp, which offers a more hands-off option for getting rid of old clothes. Essentially, you request a kit from ThredUp and fill it up with clothes you no longer want. They do need to be in good condition, of course. Send the clothing to the company using their included shipping label and they’ll keep track of what sells. You can earn cash or choose shopping credits to spend with ThredUp. You don’t get to choose the sale price, but you also don’t have to do all the work of selling either.
POSHMARK
Poshmark calls themselves a “social marketplace.” Not only can you sell clothing here, but you can also build up a network or community. Users can go to “virtual shopping parties” and look through other sellers’ available clothing. If you want to sell something, just take a photo of it and create a listing on their site. You choose the price with Poshmark and you get cash for your sales. They give you a pre-paid shipping label to send off your clothing when someone buys it.
READ: How to Avoid Fast Fashion, Saving the Planet + Your Wallet
THE REALREAL
Got some high-end labels in your closet? Then you’ll want to take a look at The RealReal. They specialize in luxury goods—think Luis Vuitton or Gucci. You choose whether you want to ship your clothes to them, drop them off, or have the company pick them up for you. They price your items and give you a commission of up to 85% when they sell. You get your proceeds through direct deposit, check, or a site credit which gives you an extra 5%. Their website claims that most things get sold within 30 days.
STYLE ENCORE
Style Encore has more than 1,250 stores and sells gently used clothing online. If you’re interested in selling your old clothes, you’ll need to pop into a store with whatever you want to sell. The Style Encore team will set a price for your pieces based on their particular store’s inventory and history. They make you an offer and if you accept it, you get to take cash home that day. There’s no hassle of selling your own items here—just bring them in and go home with cash.
ONCE UPON A CHILD
Kids outgrow clothes pretty quickly, so Once Upon a Child is an excellent option for getting rid of gently used children’s clothes. They’re in the same family of brands as Style Encore, so the process is pretty similar. You bring in clothing or even toys and their team checks everything over to make sure they’re up to quality standards. They pay you cash that same day.
VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE
If you want a bit more value for your high-end clothing and accessories, you may want to consider selling luxury items such as Prada bags and Gucci sunglasses at the Vestiaire Collective. You choose the clothing you want to part with, then select the price you want for it. You keep up to 85% of the sale price. To start selling to some 23 million shoppers worldwide, check out the Vestiaire Collective.
MAKING USE OF USED CLOTHING
You can always donate your clothing, but sometimes it’s nice to make a little cash from selling your clothes. These are some great options to start with since these companies take a variety of clothing and offer up multiple ways for you to shed your old items. Some offer a flat amount, some let you pick your pricing, and others set commissions on an individual basis. With such a variety of brands offering store credits, discounts, and even cash for clothes—it’s a great time to clean out your closet.
READ MORE ON HERMONEY:
- Where To Recycle Your Clothes For Cash
- The Ultimate Guide To Smart Fashion
- Six Trends In Sustainable Fashion To Watch In 2022
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