2 Do Good with Secondhand Clothing

Do Good with Secondhand Clothing

Whether donating, selling, or recycling, give away your items clean and in the best possible condition. All these efforts keep clothes out of landfills, support better jobs, and give your items a better chance of being worn again.

Clean your clothes. Clothes should always, with no exceptions, be clean when you donate, sell, swap, or recycle them. Set-in stains are fine if you’re recycling, but odors and unwashed dirt and grime are not. Do this out of respect for the dozens of people who will handle your clothes. Dirty clothes may also end up in the dump, as it takes secondhand clothing dealers precious time to wash them.

Remove personal belongings and scraps. Inspect your pockets and fabric. Remove all pet hair, lint, coins, dirty tissues, and receipts. Otherwise, you’re leaving those tasks to be done by someone else.

Tie your shoes together. Shoes should be donated in pairs (buckle straps together, or tie shoes together with a piece of string or rubber band).

Mend and repair. All donated clothing should be mended or repaired whenever possible to extend the item’s life and keep it out of landfills.

Choosing a Resale Strategy That’s Right for You

With so many apps, websites, and consignment store vying for your castoffs, how do you choose a selling method right for your? Decide how much time and effort you want to put into selling your clothes versus how much money you want to make back on what you’ve purchased.  In resale, more time and effort equal more money. Here are your best options.

I want to try an online service that does all the work. There are online resale companies that will take on the process of selling clothes for you, including photographing, describing, pricing, and shipping. ThredUp takes women’s, kids’, and designer clothes. RealReal and Rebag focus on designer garments and luxury handbags. All you have to do is create an account and send your stuff in a prepaid bag or box or in your own packaging. Then you wait for the payout. These companies take up higher commission for their services. The benefit is the tremendous convenience. If you’re busy and the idea of photographing and listing your clothes doesn’t appeal to you, a full-service website is recommended.

I want to sell in person. I don’t want to go on the Internet. The fastest way to sell your clothes is to bring them in a bag and take them to the nearest buy-sell-trade or consignment store. A buy-sell-trade store will pay you on the spot for your clothes, whereas a consignment shop will pay you commission once your items sell. Buy-sell-trade stores tend to deal with more trendier, mass-market brands. Consignment shops focus on higher-end name brands. Keep in mind that brick-and-mortar stores are far more selective than online shops. They only have so much space for inventory. You will have better luck by calling ahead or checking online to find out the season they’re buying for and what styles they’re needing.