Buying and selling used clothes is the channel for those who are fans of sustainable fashion. Nowadays, with the spread of thrift stores online, it is even easier to do this. You can earn a little extra money and also help nature, avoiding putting new pieces into circulation or throwing pieces in good condition away.
If you've never done this before, don't worry, it's a lot simpler than it sounds. Currently there are thousands of thrift stores online, of the most varied types. There are even communities on social networks, such as Facebook, where you can upload photos of your used clothes to sell.
And if you're a seasoned vintage clothing shopper, you'll love the list of sites we've made below. We separate the best used clothing sales spaces to give that look a makeover without spending too much.
The 3 best thrift stores online to buy parts
Buying clothes at thrift stores is just advantages. You find unique and exclusive pieces, which come with a story, but which can still be part of your life. This is called conscious consumption, also known as slowfashion.
It's not uncommon for you to buy a piece, use it a few times and get sick of it. She doesn't need to have an end, you can sell her, donate her or save her to use at another time. On the other hand, there are those who do not give up looking for their clothes in spaces such as thrift stores. In these places, you can find pieces that you would not find in a traditional store. Those who choose to include thrift stores on their shopping list end up having much more style. After all, fashion comes and goes and every now and then something forgotten returns with everything!
1. I got sick
Undoubtedly the most famous site for buying and selling used clothes in Spain. Enjoei is a platform that is very similar to Mercado Livre. You enter, register and you can sell and buy clothes, accessories and shoes. Many of these pieces are divided by categories and brands, which greatly facilitates your search.
If you, like me, are over 30 years old, you remember the story of Enjoei well. The initiative was an attempt by Ana Luiza McLaren and Tiê de Lima to declutter the wardrobe. They created a blog and started advertising clothes in 2009.
The idea was so successful that today Enjoei is a company with over 7,5 million registered users.
2. Review
Particularly, I really like this project and I identify with it. Repassa is very concerned about the environment, but without putting the social issue aside. In addition to being a platform for buying and selling second-hand clothes, Repassa also curates items for people in need.
The system is a little different from Enjoei. It works like this: you pay R$14,99 and receive a bag. Fill the "Good Bag" with the clothes you don't want anymore and send them to Repassa.
It is the site team that decides what can be donated and what has the potential to be sold. They separate the clothes, photograph them and put them on the register. The customer then receives 60% of the value of sales of his clothes and can still direct the amount to partner NGOs.
Currently, the site has 108 registered users and more than 12 items for sale. In the last 12 months, the company managed to donate R$ 173,2 thousand to NGOs and return R$ 1.930,4 thousand to those who bought the "Sacola do Bem".
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3. Barter
Under the slogan "the biggest and coolest online thrift store in Spain", Troc specializes in buying and selling branded clothing and accessories. All products for sale are curated to determine the authenticity of the pieces.
The idea came from Curitiba businesswoman Luanna Toniolo Domakoski. With extra money left, she invested in 2016 in the creation of Troc. Today, she is behind the largest used clothing website in the country, receiving more than four thousand pieces a month.
The site follows a similar logic to Enjoei. It is also possible to open an account to resell your clothes. However, the online shop has a super standard and quality control. The idea is to ensure that the clothes on the site have no traces of use.
What can we learn from sustainable fashion?
How to sell clothes online?
If you are interested in selling your used clothes, you can register them on some of the websites above. However, you still need to follow some steps. First, check that your clothes are in really good condition, that they don't need mending or ironing.
Wash the garment, if necessary, iron it and place it on a hanger. When selling online, the most important thing is the photos. Photographs of your clothes must be clear and must show them in different positions. Preferably, take pictures wearing the clothes, so the person who wants to buy can see how the pieces look on the body. It's also good for getting a better sense of size and proportion.
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If the garment needs repairs, such as buttons, small seams or mending, please do so before taking photos or posting the garment online. No one likes to see clothes in disrepair. The more presentable the piece is, the more chance it has of being sold soon.
When sending the piece, be careful in packaging it. Fold the garments as neatly as possible, place them in appropriate packaging, and then ship by courier or whatever method you choose. Some used clothing sales sites and online thrift stores offer the service of transporting the goods.
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Other ways to buy and sell used clothes
In addition to online thrift stores, you can also exchange used clothes with your friends in Whatsapp or Facebook groups. To do this, create a closed group on the social network of your choice, add your friends to it and start sending images of the pieces you want to donate.
This kind of attitude helps to recycle many clothes and circulates pieces that were out of use again. So to recap, to get rid of clothes you no longer want, you can:
- Sell clothes on Facebook groups, on OLX and on Mercado Livre, prioritizing location.
- Swap clothes with friends of yours who wear similar sizes.
- Swap clothes with other people through local meetings designed for this.
- Sell on specialized online thrift stores.
- Donate to people in need and charities.
