39 Online Thrift Stores For The Best Second Hand Clothing
Wearing what you already have in your closet is one of the best things you can do for our planet.
The next best thing?
Buying secondhand clothes, which is now easier than ever thanks to online thrift stores.
Thrifting online for your next #thrifthaul keeps more cash in your sustainable wallet, refreshes your wardrobe, and reroutes used clothing from landfills—to the tune of 81 pounds per person per year (what the average American throws away).
With so many thrift websites these days, we organized them by location so you know where to buy used clothing online near you.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
Start with Swap, one of the most affordable online thrift stores.
ThredUP is for everyone who’s fed up with the fashion status quo. No wonder they’re one of the most popular thrift stores online.
Poke around the 50s-90s garb on Retro and Me and feel especially good knowing they donate 10% of used clothes online sales to charitable initiatives.
Before rifling through those virtual hangers, read our thrift shopping tips to optimize your second hand store sorting skills.
Then pop (some tags) to the bottom to read more about why online thrift store shopping is part of the solution to fast fashion.
QUICK LINKS FOR SECOND HAND STORES
Thrifting Stores
- Swap | Visit Store
- thredUP | Visit Store
- Beyond Retro | Visit Store
- Patagonia Worn Wear | Visit Store
- Poshmark | Visit Store
- Luxury Garage Sale | Visit Store
- eBay | Visit Store
- Vestiaire Collective | Visit Store
- Depop | Visit Store
- Rebag | Visit Store
- Flyp | Visit Store
- Goodfair | Visit Store
Online Thrift Stores USA
Online Thrift Stores Canada
- Bissell Thrift Shop | Visit Store
- Community Thrift & Vintage | Visit Store
- Thriftsome | Visit Store
- Ready to Wear Again | Visit Store
- Wildthing Vintage | Visit Store
Online Thrift Stores UK
- Rokit | Visit Store
- Goldsmith Vintage | Visit Store
- Thrifted | Visit Store
- Vinted | Visit Store
- Denim Library | Visit Store
- Asos Marketplace | Visit Store
- Oxfam Shop | Visit Store
- Frea Vintage | Visit Store
Online Thrift Stores Australia (Op Shops)
Thrifting Stores
1. SWAP
Price Range: $—$$
Swap is the place for “premium & designer finds, $15 or less”, which is pretty standout among online thrift shops.
While that price doesn’t apply to everything in Swap’s range of secondhand women’s, men’s, plus-size, kids’, and babies’ clothes and shoes, affordability does.
It’s not difficult to spot sweaters and shoes that cost less than a soy latte.
With more than 2 million unique items and thousands of new items added daily—including those that don’t fall into the high fashion category prioritized by other online thrift stores—there’s something for everyone.
Swap has offices in the US and Europe and is currently accepting quality items for resale in their North Carolina warehouse.
While a surge in interest means they’re currently accepting items on an invite-only basis, you can expect to see Swap continue to be one of the best places for online thrift shopping and eventually selling (after they tackle some growing pains).
2. THREDUP
Price Range: $—$$$
thredUP is an online consignment store that offers women’s and kids’ second hand clothing.
They’re one of the biggest online thrift stores for clothes, with more than 52.6 million sellers, and millions of items across 35,000 brands—“from Gap to Gucci”.
As one of the more affordable options out there, they’re perfect if you’re looking for a cheap online thrift store.
But budget inclusivity isn’t all they do. This plus size thrift store offers a filter for petite and plus size thrifting and a maternity section.
Not looking to buy but want to clean out your closet?
The thredUP selling process starts with a Clean Out Kit, a giant polka dot bag that can be filled with clothes on their accepted brands list and shipped back to them for free.
Upon receipt, they professionally photograph the items on mannequins, which is helpful for interested shoppers to see how something fits. Once sold, the money can be kept, used as store credit, or used at other sustainable retailers (like Reformation) via their UPcycle program.
Anything not accepted will either be returned to you or be responsibly recycled.
If you don’t care about turning a profit, you can also order a Donation Kit. The same process applies but instead of giving you a percentage of the sale earnings, they donate $5 to any charity of your choice.
Aside from keeping clothes in circulation, they do more to combat fast fashion via their Circular Fashion Fund, a 501(c)3 non-profit status pending organization.
3. BEYOND RETRO
Price Range: $—$$
UK-based Beyond Retro stops the runway show with disco-worthy garb and vintage dazzlers.
The women’s and men’s online thrift store boasts a boho fashionista’s dream: everything from the 60s to the 90s. Thousands of items are added every week and 90 million items go to new homes each year.
Aiming to get that number even bigger, they also have a Reworked Vintage range for upcycled clothing.
While they currently don’t have an option for reselling old clothes, they do provide a discount for students.
4. PATAGONIA WORN WEAR
Price Range: $—$$$
A thrift store for adventurers, Worn Wear is Patagonia’s solution to second hand clothing online.
They sell all manner of gently used Patagonia clothing for men, women, and kids, as well as used outdoor gear at slashed prices.
Patagonia—one of the top sustainable outdoor clothing brands—is dedicated to corporate responsibility, happily reminding us that some brands actually put their money where their mouth is. They founded 1% for the Planet!
One of their most sustainable initiatives is their Ironclad Guarantee, through which they will repair any piece of Patagonia indefinitely, no matter how old. If it can’t be repaired, they’ll recycle and replace it for you.
If you just want to trade up and get rid of things you don’t wear, you can send it to Worn Wear in exchange for store credit to use on new or used items.
Aside from the killer steals you’ll find on gently used Patagonia goods, they maintain a high level of quality control and repair all items before putting them up for sale.
5. POSHMARK
Price Range: $—$$
One of the most popular thrift stores in the digital sphere, Poshmark is a peer-to-peer thrifting website with an even more popular iPhone/Android app that makes buying and selling used clothes online as simple as raiding your older sister’s closet.
Just snap a picture, post, and profit!
Definitely geared toward the more modern side (with a few gem retro pieces here and there), Poshmark boasts over 200 million items across more than 5,000 brands.
They have everything from Prada to Forever21, and cater to women, men, kids, pets, and online thrift store home decor. The selection may be vast, but you can search for exactly what you want.
Looking for a Synchilla Snap-T that Patagonia’s Worn Wear didn’t have?
Just type that into the search and have your mind boggled with the number of options.
Or go into discovery mode and just browse by your size.
Poshmark also encourages bargaining. Some Poshers (as sellers are called) put optimistic prices on their items, so the platform encourages haggling with their “offer/counter-offer” feature.
Whether looking to sell or buy used clothes online, Poshmark makes the process effortless.
6. LUXURY GARAGE SALE
Price Range: $$—$$$$
Chicago-based Luxury Garage Sale is a designer online thrift store for clothes and accessories.
They offer luxury second hand clothing, shoes, bags, and jewelry from top brands around the world at up to 80% off regular prices. And that’s not to speak of the clearance section!
One of the best US-based online thrift stores, they offer complimentary stylists and ensure that each piece is inspected and verified by in-house experts as authentic.
For sellers, they use a consignment model and offer pre-paid shipping labels and pickup service in some cities.
Like with many luxury online thrifting sites, you may come across exotic animal fur and materials which we do not support and recommend you avoid, secondhand or not.
7. EBAY
Price Range: $—$$$
We’ve all heard of eBay; it’s been around since 1995.
The California-based multinational company has undeniably changed the name of the e-commerce game—largely by being one of the biggest influences in encouraging the secondhand economy.
Really, it’s the company that made the rest of this list possible and remains one of the most popular thrift stores online.
With eBay, you have access to all sorts of unique second hand clothing and accessories from many eras and cultures around the world. Nowhere will you find a wider selection.
Let’s not forget it is THE cheap online thrift store!
Since it’s mostly peer-to-peer, there is less quality control, but eBay’s policies protect buyers from fraudulent or dishonest sellers.
8. VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE
Price Range: $$—$$$$
Bringing luxury secondhand goods out from collecting dust, Vestiaire Collective is an online thrifting shop for vintage and high-end clothing and accessories.
They offer one of the widest ranges of vintage designer clothing online that we’ve seen, from vintage Levis to eveningwear. While the prices vary depending on what you’re after, there are definitely some bargains to be had.
To ensure quality, Vestiaire carefully curates its catalog and, once sold, checks for authenticity.
They have thrifting options for menswear, kidswear, bags, eco friendly watches, jewelry, shoes, and athletic gear, also making them an equally good online thrift store for men.
All pieces include the location of the item so you can shop locally and minimize those shipping emissions.
9. DEPOP
Price Range: $—$$$
If Zoomers were a thrift store online, they would be Depop.
This London-based operation is “the creative community’s mobile marketplace” and they’re hip and happening in more ways than one.
First, their website and app function as a weird but wonderful cross between a social media platform and a global thrift online marketplace.
Wait… what?
Basically, Depop functions like any other Poshmark-like online thrifting app, but it looks like an Instagram feed. In true social media fashion, the site is as much about selling and buying as it is about broadcasting what you’ve bought and sold.
Like its platform, the overall aesthetic and clothing that finds itself there is definitely on the edgier side.
Depop may not be for everyone, but for those who want to go bold and really express themselves, they’re one of the best unique clothing thrift stores.
This online op shop is a “global conduit of connection” not just for clothing, but for creativity.
10. REBAG
Price Range: $$$—$$$$
Our favorite kind of sustainable handbag is a pre-loved purse!
Rebag is a designer thrift store website dedicated to luxury bags—from backpacks to professional totes.
Being a luxury second hand store, they focus on the usual designer list including the vegan handbag darling Stella McCartney.
To further stimulate the circular economy, Rebag allows individuals to sell their secondhand bags on their platform.
They also encourage ongoing re-use of the bags with their Infinity Exchange program, which allows customers to return any bag within 12 months for credit worth 70-80% of its purchase price.
You’ll also find some luxury accessories, watches, and jewelry.
11. FLYP
*Sponsored content
Price Range: $—$$$
San Francisco-based Flyp is on a mission to help people achieve “Less clutter. More empowerment.”
It started as the brainchild of resale-entrepreneur James Kawas who realized more people would be encouraged to give their old clothes a second life if the selling process were a little easier.
And so, the platform connects people (with clothes to sell) with independent professional resellers.
Here’s how it works:
- Take a picture of each item you want to sell.
- Pro sellers apply to sell your clothes and you choose your preferred seller based on their price estimates.
- Flyp gives you a shipping label to send your items to the pro seller.
- The pro seller posts your items on multiple thrift platforms and after they sell, boom – he / she will send you the profits (minus their commission).
They accept good-condition (meaning rip, smell, and stain-free) clothes, shoes, and handbags from all kinds of known fashion labels and designer brands. They don’t accept non-branded or fast fashion labels like Forever 21 and H&M.
Let’s be honest, reselling old clothing can be a huge pain in the butt-hugging jeans.
Flyp is designed to change that by making it as effortless as possible. Less textile waste and a little extra cash in your pocket with minimal effort?
Doesn’t sound like there’s much of a downside.
On par with in-store consignment rates, their 30%-50% fees are a little steeper than the average 10%-20% range of other self-selling thrift resale sites.
In exchange for those higher fees, they take care of everything for you, including shipping fees, photography, item research, price negotiation, packing and shipping to the buyer.
If you want to sell and earn a commission while doing so, it’s easy to join as a Pro Seller. And you can set your own commission based on the amount of effort you plan on spending.
Whichever camp you fall into, Flyp has protections and guarantees for all items so you can send stuff risk-free. Pro sellers have no upfront costs either, so neither party is in danger of losing their stuff or money.
12. GOODFAIR
Price Range: $
Few things are more fun than thrifting with friends. But when going to a brick-and-mortar secondhand store isn’t possible, Goodfair is good company.
With goodies for men and women, they take what’s destined for landfills (like items turned away by other second hand shops), perform quality checks, then send them to enjoy a ‘new’ life.
Individual garments are available, but most come in bundles. Think: the Hawaiian Shirt bundle, Mystery bundle, and Life’s a Cold Beach bundle.
New items are released daily, but the bundles go quickly, so it’s recommended that shoppers subscribe to the email list so that they can snag something as soon as the products and bundles go live.
Online Thrift Stores USA
13. TRADESY
Price Range: $$—$$$$
Tradesy is a one-stop shop to buy and sell pre-loved pieces from a variety of brands and top designers. You’ll even find some vintage luxury bags, accessories, shoes, and clothing.
If you sell old clothes, you can turn around and use your earnings to fund your online thrifting habit right on the site.
14. RETRO & ME
Price Range: $$—$$$
Virginia-based Retro and Me is a no-brainer when seeking thrift stores online.
With features by Huffington Post and many TV shows, it’s one of the most highly regarded places to buy used clothes online. The 42,000+ happy Etsy customers don’t hurt, either!
Shop owner Kristin has a penchant for previously-loved vintage goods. Her shop is THE place to find vintage sunglasses, shoes, purses, ladies’ tops and dresses, men’s t-shirts, accessories, and more.
The 80s and 90s are most heavily represented, but you’ll see some older pieces from the 50s and 60s, too.
This second hand store gives away 10% of profits to folks in need, and comes with 100% carbon offset shipping.
15. REFASHIONER
Price Range: $—$$$
Refashioner doesn’t just sell online used clothing; they sell stories. Each genuine vintage item comes with information about who wore it, where it’s been worn, and anything notable that happened while wearing the outfit.
Their meticulous quality control ensures authenticity across their online second hand clothing selection, in which you’ll even find pre-1940s pieces!
16. URBAN RENEWAL
An offshoot of the brand with a similar name, Urban Renewal is Urban Outfitters’ “curated collection of original vintage items and vintage that has been carefully selected, re-designed and upcycled into modern silhouettes.”
Their second hand clothing range is also available online in the USA, Europe, Canada and Australia.
17. GOODWILL
Price Range: $
If you don’t live close to one of the 3,000 North American Goodwill stores, you can still support this popular second hand store via their auction-based website.
Between arts and crafts, gaming systems and other electronics, musical instruments, clothing, and home goods, this is the place to thrift for nearly anything for your home, not just your closet.
18. THE REAL REAL
Price Range: $$—$$$$
Designed for buying and selling designer fashion goods, The Real Real is the world’s largest online thrift destination for authenticated, consigned luxury goods.
Their team of authenticators takes the scams and guesswork out of buying and selling secondhand men’s and women’s luxury clothes, bags, and jewelry.
19. ROGUE RETRO
Price Range: $—$$$$
With thousands of items encapsulating any (and we mean any) style from the past several decades, Rogue Retro hits the rewind button on your closet.
Follow in the fashion footsteps of 50,000+ customers before you and easily satisfy your costume, suspender, or tunic needs—to name just a few of the quirky garments offered.
This is one of the truly good online thrift stores for getting a little creative with your wardrobe.
In addition to men’s and women’s clothing, books, comics, accessories, dolls, and stuffed animals are available.
20. MAW SUPPLY
Price Range: $—$$
MAW Supply, short for Man and Woman, is a Black-owned second hand shop joining the best Houston thrift stores in Texas.
MAW was founded in 2012 by couple Norman and Rachelle Clark.
From dockers and retro print button-downs for men to plaid pleated skirts and blazers for women, their funky pieces will take you back a few decades.
With affordable prices and unique designs, it’s no wonder they’ve been featured by the likes of Harper’s Bazaar and Refinery29.
You can also support the brand further by purchasing one of their new MAW tees. Pair it with some sustainable accessories from one of these Black owned Etsy art and jewelry shops and you’ll have an outfit that’s stylish and socially just.
21. MAEVEN VINTAGE
Price Range: $—$$
Maeven Vintage sells second hand clothing, jewelry, accessories, and shoes ranging from 60s chic to 90s bold (ideal for perfecting that “Friends” vibe).
Occasionally, there are very-vintage pieces thrown in from the 1920s and ‘30s. You never know what you might unearth at this unique second hand online store!
Be sure to read the product description for the period of origin, label, marked size, measured size, fabric, and of course, an in-depth description of the condition.
Owner Amy Yee was named by Refinery29 as a vintage industry insider and since 2012, she’s been running the online second hand clothing store full time from her Brooklyn studio.
22. PERSEPHONE VINTAGE
Price Range: $$—$$$
For “curated modern vintage” picks that can only be described as enchanting, Persephone Vintage is one of the best used clothing websites.
With thousands of 5-star reviews, this shop has a wonderful range of unique online used clothing, including dresses, tops, skirts, pants, jumpsuits, coats, shoes, and accessories.
Don’t bother with status-quo style when you can have a one-of-a-kind fairy tale dress for a wedding or some dress-to-impress business slacks for your upcoming dream job interview.
Aside from condition, fabric, and rough time frame of origin, they also provide comprehensive measurements so you can be sure you get the perfect fit.
Online Thrift Stores Canada
23. BISSELL THRIFT SHOP
Price Range: $
Bissell Thrift Shop is one of the best online thrift stores Canada has to offer. Expect to find a mish-mash of clothing, books, shoes, games, collectibles, home decor, and more (all for super affordable prices).
24. COMMUNITY THRIFT & VINTAGE
Price Range: $
Vancouver-based social enterprise Community Thrift & Vintage is one of Canada’s thrift stores found online that supports at-risk folks through supportive work training programs.
With a slightly more organized presence, their website features a lookbook for their recycled fashion offering and various categories based on materials (silk, linen, etc.).
25. THRIFTSOME
Price Range: $
Thriftsome is on a mission to make shopping at second hand stores online more “cool”, accessible, and fun by blending men’s and women’s thrifted clothes with occasional new sample pieces—all while keeping prices low.
26. READY TO WEAR AGAIN
Price Range: $—$$
Ready to Wear Again is an online thrift store Canada is lucky to have! The consignment-based shop accepts high-quality women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories and sells them up to 70% off.
They regularly give back and donate to their local Ontario community.
27. WILDTHING VINTAGE
Price Range: $—$$$$
If you’ve just typed “thrift store online canada” into your search bar, look no further!
This Canadian online second hand store provides the best vintage treasures from the 50s-90s.
Wildthing Vintage provides used clothes, shoes, jewelry, and accessories that come with a “wild twist” sure to make your wardrobe roar.
Erica – the shop owner, actor, and performer – sources retro, avant-garde, goth, hipster, pinup, and rockabilly styles while traveling for shows around North America.
Online Thrift Stores UK
28. ROKIT
Price Range: $—$$$$
Rokit is the leading online thrift store UK shoppers have access to.
With hundreds of pieces added weekly, they’re a one-stop shop for men’s and women’s sportswear, streetwear, designer duds, and other rare used clothes from decades past.
This second hand thrift store also offers in-person shopping via their London thrift stores.
29. GOLDSMITH VINTAGE
Price Range: $—$$$$
Keeping the world of used clothing stores online fun and funky fresh, Goldsmith Vintage offers everything from sportswear and denim to Hawaiian shirts, band tees, and Y2K vintage.
Want to spice up your online thrift experience? Order one of their Mystery boxes or snag some upcycled vintage via the Rework collection.
This UK second hand shop is LGBTQ owned and run and motivated strongly by a sense of social justice and sustainability.
This means their entire collection is used, and they recycle 30 tons (12 shipping containers full) of used clothing each year.
Through their Alter Eco program, they partner with fashion design students and give them a platform to sell their designs created from deadstock fabric.
They recently collaborated with London’s legendary vinyl record store Rough Trade. This partnership means both stores will offer a limited-edition range of clothing designed by Elliot Snowman that “draws on the cultural interplay of vintage fashion and independent music“.
In addition to their online second hand store, stop by one of their three London locations for old school thrifting.
30. THRIFTED
Price Range: $$—$$$
Another of the thrift stores online in the UK that shoppers and beyond can benefit from, Thrifted is a leading one.
Check out this second hand online store for retro, vintage, and used clothing, specializing in 70s, 80s, and 90s finds.
31. VINTED
Price Range: $—$$$
With options for both buyers and sellers, 45-million member Vinted is one of the best online thrift stores for supporting the pre-loved fashion movement.
It blends branded with budget, offering vintage, retro, and other unique used clothes and shoes for men, women, and kids.
32. DENIM LIBRARY
Price Range: $
Looking for used stores online that would make Bon Jovi proud?
Look no further than Denim Library.
This female-founded UK online thrift store offers a veritable library of used jeans from beloved brands like Levis, Lee, and Wrangler that are “ready for the next chapter”.
Unlike those second hand stores that stick to vintage, they don’t discriminate against the age of their denim.
Aside from reducing water waste associated with denim manufacturing, they ship in 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and superfluous kraft paper packaging.
33. ASOS MARKETPLACE
Price Range: $—$$$$
This UK-based thrift store website is an offshoot of the trendy fashion site, ASOS, but deals specifically in vintage women’s and men’s clothing online.
ASOS Marketplace makes it easy to shop by era, like clothing from the 60s or early 90s. As one of the more affordable online thrift stores, you can snag a sweet 1970s dress for less than $50!
34. OXFAM SHOP
Price Range: $
Each piece of men’s or women’s secondhand clothes, accessories, or homewares sold through the Oxfam Shop does a lot more than just clean out someone’s closet.
All proceeds fully support this leading humanitarian organization’s goal to end poverty and fight injustice.
35. FREA VINTAGE
Price Range: $—$$$
In just a year, Frea Vintage has found cozy new homes for hundreds of vintage pieces—lessening the load on our planet and satisfying those trying to keep up with fast fashion trends.
While they are a UK based online thrift store, they use Etsy to reach vintage lovers all around the globe.
In addition to a huge selection of clothes, watches, jewelry, shoes, and accessories are available.
Online Thrift Stores Australia
36. SWOP
Price Range: $—$$
SWOP is one of the best op shops online when it comes to finding deals on men’s, women’s, and gender-neutral clothes and accessories.
Both selling and buying are available, but strict criteria mean only the best garments will find a new home. Everything else is donated to charities like the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and the Salvos.
37. THE CLOSET
With “hundreds of practically new items at a fraction of the new price,” The Closet is an online second hand store that consigns high-quality women’s clothes, shoes, and accessories.
Some items and proceeds support Brisbane’s Dress for Success program.
38. SOOKII LA LA VINTAGE
Price Range: $—$$
For those on the hunt for an online thrift store in Australia, Sookii La La Vintage will make you say, “Ooh la la!”.
With retro, boho, 70s, 80s, and 90s clothing available, it’s the place to shop for women who want one-of-a-kind pieces. While the range is smaller, there are several men’s shirts available, too.
Hailing from Perth, owner Sally creates this beautiful, color-coordinated second hand shop. For those of us who can’t handle the disorganization and chaos of real-life second hand clothing shops, her online used clothing store is a sight for sore eyes!
39. SWAPUP
Price Range: $—$$$$
On a mission “to make secondhand mainstream”, SwapUp is the perfect online second hand clothing store to help you do just that.
Dealing in women’s and kid’s clothing of all kinds, this used clothing store online contains over 3000 professionally inspected and photographed items.
Each garment is shipped plastic free in a compostable satchel and paper wrapping.
The SwapUp Kit makes cleaning your closet a breeze and puts money in your pocket via a consignment model.
FAST FASHION IS A DIRTY BUSINESS
One of the dirtiest in the world, in fact.
Why are floral print dresses and plaid flannels so downright devastating?
Aside from the ethical sourcing issues that many people are at least vaguely aware of (like child labor and sweatshops), clothing production is riddled with environmental faux pas:
- Harmful chemicals: These include insecticides and pesticides and toxic dyes that leach into groundwater.
- Fossil fuels: Fashion’s global supply chain (from raw materials to end product) is one of the “Big 8” industries that account for 50% of all global emissions.
- Water waste: The fashion industry uses 4% of all freshwater extraction per year globally and it takes 10,000 to 20,000 liters to make just 1 kilogram of raw cotton. Take a look in your closet and do the math.
This isn’t even to speak of the incredibly wasteful nature of it all.
The EPA estimates that Americans produce 17 million tons of textile waste annually. Every ten minutes in Australia, 6,000 kilograms of clothes hit the landfill.
Used clothing (and other textile) trash is out of control—yet we keep producing more.
According to Greenpeace, clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014, a trend attributed both to population increase and to a rise in “fast fashion”.
This refers to inexpensively produced (meaning someone’s getting screwed somewhere in the production line) clothing, designed to wear out fast and need replacing regularly.
Fast fashion producers typically produce a new “season” every week as a way of enticing customers to buy more more more.
Fast fashion is CHEAP, in every way except the one that matters; it’s costing our planet a whole lot.
To see the runway wreckage in action, watch The True Cost, an absolutely essential environmental film on the subject.
ETHICAL FASHION CONSUMPTION
Is sustainable and ethical fashion even possible?
Yes!
As individuals, we can help by either becoming nudists or (perhaps preferable to most) simply extending the life of our clothing.
Stop. Buying. Cheap.
Trust us, it’ll actually save you money (not to mention the planet) in the long run.
For those three [insert fast fashion brand name here 🙂 ] blouses that split at the armpit upon first wear, you could have bought one that was made better, in every sense of the word.
Extend the life of your clothes.
Have you ever done that minimizing trick where you turn around every hanger in your closet and only right it once you wear it?
See how many things go untouched over the course of six months.
This helps you focus on wearing the things you already own to avoid mindlessly filling your wardrobe with more.
If we all kept clothing in use for just nine more months, we could reduce carbon emissions and water waste by 20-30%!
Don’t throw away perfectly functional clothes.
95% of textiles are suitable to be reworn/reused/recycled (only 5% are unusable), yet Americans only donate or recycle 15%.
That means 85% is thrown out, not worn out.
It’s okay if you don’t want something anymore, but give it a second life by reselling it, giving it to a friend, or donating it.
Donation centers are present in almost every community and all it requires is dropping a bag in a bin.
While not all donated second hand clothes find a second home, the unsold stuff from organizations like Salvation Army and Goodwill typically go to for-profit clothes recycling centers, such as Viltex.
Not ideal, but it’s better than the landfill.
Upcycle your used clothing.
Wondering what to do with old clothes that aren’t nice enough to find a new home via a second hand thrift store.
Turn t-shirts into a quilt, turn old socks into door jams (which also increases heat efficiency and reduces your carbon footprint at home), or make rags for your zero waste cleaning routine.
The possibilities are endless.
If they’re made of organic fabrics, toss them in your indoor compost bin.
Start thrifting online (or in person).
Instead of spending more money on new clothes, spend a fraction of the amount on perfectly functional and fashionable second hand clothing.
Since we live in an era of online shopping, use thrift stores for online shopping rather than getting sucked into the vortex of less ethical online emporiums.
We do love alternatives to Amazon, after all!
For in-person used clothing stores, we’re creating comprehensive guides to the best brick-and-mortar thrift stores in a city near you (in the US and beyond) so have a scroll for our thrifting recommendations.
SECOND HAND ONLINE STORES FOR BUYING USED CLOTHES
Thrifting became popular in the late 19th century, just as industrialization and urbanization started to dominate the Western world.
Unfortunately, stigma was quick to follow, with prejudice impacting both wearers of used clothing and the stores themselves.
Fast forward several decades and much of that stigma has been shed. “I got it secondhand” has become a declaration of pride rather than something embarrassing.
Here in the “Golden Age of Thrifting,” it’s now a booming industry—with more than 25,000 shops in the U.S. alone (not including options for thrift shopping online)!
Thrifting is one of the best solutions to fast fashion.
If we were to replace new fashion production with recirculating garments already in existence, we could save 190,000 tons of CO2 and 18 billion gallons of water.
On a smaller scale, if you purchase a used item instead of a new item, you would displace 17.4lbs of CO2 emissions. Collectively over time, that’s A LOT of carbon emissions.
Plus, there’s the waste-saving aspect. For those trying to live a zero waste lifestyle, keep in mind that thrift stores and consignment stores were the original zero waste fashion brands.
The advent of thrift websites has simply made zero waste fashion easier to access (and better smelling).
WHAT ARE THE BEST ONLINE THRIFT STORES?
Thrifting online is awesome, but it can become problematic.
There are still some environmental and ethical issues to contend with in the thrift store world, namely overdoing it!
There is such a thing and too much of a good thing, so recognize that excessive shopping—secondhand or not—isn’t a good practice.
The best online thrift stores are thus those that provide what you need without encouraging you to grab what you don’t.
For example, if you have a higher budget, support consignment shops that prioritize what you’re looking for. Leave the budget-friendly thrift stores for those who truly need to know, “What is the cheapest online thrift store?”
Just as slow fashion means more than sustainable fabrics, the best online thrift stores also do more than contribute to the circular economy.
Support online thrift stores that also provide employment opportunities, promote responsible textile recycling, contribute to philanthropic initiatives, or encourage a more inclusive fashion world.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THRIFT SHOPS
It’s high time we give the fashion industry a makeover and remind ourselves that, just like us, clothes don’t need to be young to be beautiful.
Second hand clothes can mean a second chance for the planet.
While keeping used clothes in circulation for longer is undoubtedly a step toward conscious consumerism, don’t forget about other “new-to-you” options: organizing swaps with friends, paring down to a minimalist wardrobe, or utilizing clothing and dress rental online services.
For instances where you really do need to buy new (organic underwear and sustainable lingerie), buy from sustainable clothing brands.
Have any fashion-frenzied friends in the market for something new? Share this article with them so we can all support the second hand online stores that are doing it better.
Vinted is in the US also. The best prices and lots of variety. The US also has Mercari which is massive.
Thanks for the info Leslie!
I’ve been buying all my clothes on ebay from a store called thread rush. They always have the measurements and ship in one bag instead of wasting paper. I asked them for more measurements for a dress once and they answered so fast. I hate trying to buy used clothes for the environment but then the seller ships it with so much wasted paper recipes. It’s just more garbage.
Hi there. This article is great, but you forgot to include us on the list.
http://www.retroiscooler.com is a new website where you can find hand-picked rare and sough-after vintage clothes from the 80s and the 90s.
Check us out, we’ll be happy to show you around 🙂
Hello from England. Thank you for writing this article and highlighting the great work which so many retailers are doing to bring sustainable and recycled fashion to the masses. I would also like to highlight White Rose Recycled Fashion in the UK, selling handpicked trendy recycled fashion online and in 9 stores around the midlands. At White Rose, we infuse our passion for fashion with our care for people and the planet, creating a fun and sustainable shopping experience which ensures you look amazing, spend less and make a positive difference.
We’re driven by a distinct purpose to reduce fast fashion’s impact on the environment, reduce textile waste, and encourage our customers to make kinder choices when it comes to purchasing and re-purposing clothing. Our circular fashion model means we disregard the corporate ‘take-make-dispose’ pattern and ensure fashion garments are worn for as long as they can be and then transformed through upcycling and recycling after that.
Thank you for sharing this with your readers 🙂
https://www.whiterosefashion.com
We’ve purchased many authentic vintage items from many different stores and one of our favorites is Cry Violet Vintage on Etsy. They have quality vintage items that are clean and ready to wear and their prices are excellent for the real deal. We highly recommend them.
I’ve been seeing a lot of dropshippers on Depop & Poshmark who claim their items are secondhand when they’re not (literally can find them on AliExpress). And search on Depop is really bad because people always put in the wrong brand ‘for exposure’.
My friend sent me a new site that’s similar to Depop but supposedly vets all of their sellers & items, called Thryft: https://letsthryft.com … I bought a bunch of stuff from them this month and like it more than Depop & Poshmark (so far).
I think they’re pretty small right now & have really limited inventory but worth checking out mainly for the guarantee that you’re buying actual secondhand/vintage stuff. Idk just thought I’d share. 🙂
Recently saw a site that looks to be kind of new. It’s called thriftshoppingnetwork.com and they have one of the thrift stores in our area on there. They do live sales and flash sales almost every day. It’s pretty cool, I’m curious if this is just a Knoxville thing or there are other stores on the site as well.
Beware of Vestiaire, their reviews on the Better Business Bureau site are horrendous. I have removed all of my listings there, and I am now researching sites with excellent reviews by sellers only.
Hey great suggestions! You should check out swapabee.co.uk as well! It lets you swap clothes and anything else for free! Plus SwapaBee is really into helping people through charity and stopping world wide waste! I highly recommend checking it out!
This are all great thrift store. I have tried most of them too apart from Poshmark, Tradesy. thanks for the suggestion
Yes those are great online thrift stores. I currently sell on Ebay. The name of my Ebay store is called The Budget Chic Store. I have been also considering other platforms as well. Thank you so much for such valuable information!