Fast fashion has a waste problem, and more of us are looking for a better way to shop... and to clean out our closets. The good news? There's never been more ways to do both.

Ways to Let Go of Clothes You No Longer Wear

Donate locally. Thrift stores, shelters, and community donation bins are the simplest option, but not everything gets a second life this way. Many donation centers are overwhelmed with volume, and low-quality items often end up in landfill anyway. Donate thoughtfully: give items that are genuinely wearable, not just "not trash."

Sell peer-to-peer. Platforms like Poshmark, Depop, and eBay let you list, price, and ship items yourself. You'll typically earn more per item this way, but it takes real time and effort... photographing, writing descriptions, handling buyer messages, and shipping each piece individually.

Use a managed resale service. This is where ThredUp comes in, and it's worth highlighting because it solves the biggest barrier to secondhand selling: effort.

Why We Love ThredUp

ThredUp built its entire model around removing friction from resale. Sellers request a Clean Out Kit, which comes with a prepaid shipping label . You fill it with clothes and send it back, and ThredUp handles the sorting, photographing, pricing, and listing. No individual photos, no back-and-forth with buyers, no trips to the post office for every sale. Linnworks

It's not a get-rich system. ThredUp operates massive processing centers, and that infrastructure cost is part of why seller payouts tend to run in the 5–20% range for most items, climbing higher for pieces from in-demand brands. But that trade-off is the point: you're paying for convenience, not maximizing every dollar.

What makes ThredUp worth highlighting isn't just the ease, it's the mission behind it. ThredUp's stated mission is to inspire a new generation of consumers to think secondhand first, and the platform has grown into one of the largest resale marketplaces for apparel, shoes, and accessories. Every item that gets resold instead of landfilled is a small win for the planet, and ThredUp has made that win accessible to people who'd otherwise never bother.

A couple things to note: ThredUp currently only accepts women's and kids' clothing, so if you've got a pile of men's pieces, you'll want a different platform. And it's worth sending in items that are genuinely in strong condition. The platform's algorithms have gotten more selective over time about what gets accepted versus recycled. UnderpricedUnderpriced

Buying Secondhand: Where to Start

Once your closet's decluttered, close the loop by shopping secondhand too:

• ThredUp and similar resale marketplaces. Huge selection, searchable by size/brand, often cheaper than buying new
• Local thrift and consignment shops. Great for one-of-a-kind finds and supporting your community
• Small vintage sellers. Curated pieces with personality, often from independent makers who put real care into sourcing and reselling

The Bigger Picture

Secondhand fashion is on track to make up 10% of all global fashion sales — and every piece that gets resold instead of tossed is one less item in a landfill. Whether you're clearing out your closet or building a more sustainable wardrobe, there's a secondhand path that fits your effort level and your values.

Every choice adds up.