Reselling and upcycling clothes are great ways of being more responsible fashion consumers. We can think of no better way to create a wardrobe that you love and are proud of. If you are new to reselling your clothes online, this guide will help you learn where to start. At Vestiaire, we make it as easy as possible to sell the pieces you no longer wear to other style seekers who want to take better care of the environment. All you have to do is download the app and snap some photos with your smartphone, and you’re on your way to selling clothes on Vestiaire. We promise that you’ll feel great contributing to the circular fashion economy.
When selling used clothing, there are two types of clothes that are the easiest to sell. The first type are evergreen pieces that will always be in style. Think about fabric like denim, which has been around since 1873. Nearly everyone on the planet owns something made out of it. If it’s been good enough for a century and half, we think it’s going to keep going strong for at least a century more. Other evergreen pieces are timeless looks that make your closet complete, like the little black dress or trench coat.
Shoppers know that evergreen pieces will never go out of style, so they are willing to spend a little more money on great quality evergreen pieces. Taking care of the clothes you own is a smart way to increase their resale value and extend their lifespan. Always pay attention to the care instructions on the tags. It will make resale more profitable for you.
The second type of clothing that tends to be easier to sell are the opposite of the timeless pieces, that is, the super trendy items. Especially if you happen to own a collector’s item like a Supreme collaboration jacket, these pieces can enjoy a high resale value on Vestiaire.
No matter what you’re selling, by giving your piece a second life, you are turning them into eco friendly clothes and helping fashion become more circular.
No matter what season it is, it’s always a good time to do a little spring cleaning. Take advantage of it as a great opportunity to do an audit of your closet. Cleaning out your closet is going to help you uncover clothing treasures that you might have forgotten about, and also clear some space for more preloved items from Vestiaire.
When performing your clothing audit, we recommend making 2 piles: keep and sell. The ‘keep’ pile is self-explanatory: it’s those pieces that still bring you joy, like your French girl clothing that never goes out of style. 12 months is a good rule for judging if you should keep something. If you have been holding onto a piece because you think you might wear it in the future but you haven’t in the past year, it’s probably time to part with it. Don’t worry if you’ve never even worn it once because it was a gift from your Aunt Betsy- keeping it in your closet is cluttering your life.
For the rest of the clothes, consider selling them on Vestiaire Collective. It’s super easy to download the app and set up an account. You can use the easy listing form and upload your images in less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea. And your item is instantly visible to our global community of over 10 million Fashion Activists ready to find their next hero piece. Once it sells, you ship it to us for free and we verify the purchase before sending it to your buyer. Certain items are eligible for Direct Shipping between seller and buyer. And as quick and easy as that, you’ll be able to fund your next pre-loved treasure!
When it comes to selling clothes on Vestiaire, the more information you provide about the item, the more likely you are to sell quickly and at a good price. Photos are important. Make sure your photo is well-lit. Display multiple photos from different angles and utilise close-up to show detailing. Taking photos of any tags or branding is going to be very helpful in your listing also, especially if you are listing a luxury designer item. Of course, take photos of any flaws because you want to build trust with your buyers. If you form a good relationship, they may become repeat customers. You don’t have to be a professional photographer with fancy equipment. Using your smartphone camera is fine as long as you take just a little bit of time and preparation.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but make sure to include some actual words, too in the form of a detailed product description. You know your particular item better than anyone. Describing the clothes helps the buyer understand more about what they are buying and why they should want it. Write about the basics like sizing, fabric and what collection it was from, if possible. Be sure to also write about how often it was worn and the condition it is in. If there is a flaw in your item, make sure to disclose that. Many of our Fashion Activists are creative, and an imperfection in an item can oftentimes be fixed. Transparency is key, though, to having a respectful fashion community. It is a great idea to open up the seller chat with prospective buyers so they can have an opportunity to ask you questions. It’s a fun way to connect with other sustainability-minded fashion lovers, too.
When it comes to selling second-hand, timing is critical for quick sales. For example, selling according to season is going to be more successful than trying to sell a winter coat in the summer. People aren’t thinking about swimsuits when it’s snowing, and they definitely aren’t thinking about down jackets while bronzing on the beach.
You can start listing a month ahead when people start considering the weather that is around the corner. It’s a good time to take inventory of what you have to be sure you are also prepared for the upcoming weather. Selling your clothes according to the season will clear up space in your closet and help fund your own seasonal pre-loved purchases.
That said, at Vestiaire, our community of over nine million Fashion Activists come from all over the globe. Therefore, while it makes sense to list things according to season, keep in mind that during your summer it’s winter in another part of the world. And the fashion lovers living in those places might just love to have that Balenciaga faux fur lined puffer that you forgot to list before the winter season in your hemisphere. So even if you forgot to list your bomber jacket before the leaves started changing colour, hope isn’t lost. It might just take a little bit longer to find the perfect owner so your beloved piece can have an extended lifespan, and not end up in the landfill.
Vestiaire Collective is the best place to sell pre-loved fashion and accessories. We have a great reputation in the fashion world because of our community of like-minded Fashion Activists who work together to create a circular way to consume clothes. There are over 10 million members who are committed to making sustainable choices when buying luxury clothing. That’s 10 million people around the world who love fashion and the planet, just like you.
Vestiaire Collective has been around since 2009, so we’ve mastered a user-friendly destination for selling clothes. We actually created the company for our friends when we discovered all the great designer pieces and vintage clothes classics they had just lying around in their closets. Now we have 10 million friends we can buy and sell with! We’ve made it super easy, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time figuring out how to list items.
A crucial part of an online resale platform is integrity. Buyers need to be able to trust the site or app that they are spending their hard-earned money on. Trust is one of our core guiding principles, so that’s why we’ve put many checks in place to make sure we are a safe space on the internet. We have a dedicated team of curation specialists and in-house quality control specialists to make sure each transaction is honest and positive for everyone involved. It’s why we have been around so long and why so many fashion lovers turn to us when selling their clothes.
We are proud that so many people around the globe have chosen Vestiaire to buy and sell second-hand. Inspiring fashion, creating community and promoting a sustainable system is why we do what we do.
There are so many reasons to sell your used clothes online. Of course, making money is fun but it’s really about even more than that. Clearing out your space can make your whole life feel more streamlined and less cluttered which will have benefits for you in other areas of your life, too. Having a feeling of organisation in your closet offers benefits for productivity in your work and personal life, too.
At Vestiaire, we don’t promote filling your closet. That’s just not the goal of fashion to us. We’d rather have a few quality pieces that were selected with thoughtfulness. Getting rid of clothes that you don’t wear and love allows you to make room for those coveted clothes you’ve been wanting.
Perhaps our favourite reason to sell our used clothes is to follow through on our sustainability commitments. 100 billion pieces of clothing are made every year, and two-thirds of them will end up in the landfill. Landfills aren’t just ugly, they contribute to greenhouse gases. When waste breaks down in landfills, harmful compounds are released into the earth and waterways. It’s bad for human health and for planetary health. Doesn’t giving your clothes a new life with a new owner sound better than that? Reselling our clothes instead of tossing them can keep staggering amounts of items from adding to this mounting problem.
Once you’ve begun your journey as a Fashion Activist selling your clothes on Vestiaire, why not encourage your friends and family to join you? The sustainable future of fashion depends on everyone doing their part. You can encourage closet clean-out parties and even gather items from your friends and family to help them sell. There are already over 10 million people around the world who have committed to buying and selling their gently used fashions on Vestiaire. The more of us there are, the sooner this planet will begin to heal from the harmful effects of the fashion industry.