Organising Your Wardrobe? Here Are The Best Resale Websites To Help You Make Money From Your Old Clothes

After you've achieved wardrobe Nirvana, you'll need to deal with the pile of clothes you no longer need/want. Whatever you do, don't chunk them away. The second-hand clothing charity, TRAID, picks up clothes, accessories, shoes and pretty much anything else apart from bedding and pillows for free. It's also equally easy to resell them if they're in good condition. Keep reading for our pick of the resale websites to use.

Depop

The millennial favourite, Depop, has an impressive 13 million users in 147 countries. It looks a lot like Instagram, display-wise, and is particularly good for selling one-of-a-kind and vintage pieces.

eBay

eBay, founded in 1995 during the age of dial-up internet, is second only to Amazon on the App Store’s top shopping apps - and is back in favour with fashion editors. It might not be as fashion-focused as other resell apps, but it has 182 million users worldwide and allows you to choose between a ‘buy-it-now’ price and the auction setting.

FINDS

FINDS is a video and livestream fashion marketplace taking buying and selling one step further. The app is designed to feel like you're thrifting at your local vintage shop even though you're chilling at home. Shop as you scroll through sellers video content from vintage, second hand to up-cycled fashion.

Vinted

This fashion and accessories resale app, from Lithuanian founder Milda Mitkute, is free to use and has a following of 25 million ‘Vinties’. It’s functional design means it’s super easy to communicate with buyers and check out fellow sellers’ ratings.

Vestiaire Collective

Most fashion editors have a wishlist as long as their arm on Vestiaire Collective, which also offers a concierge service so that you can outsource the entire selling process to the in-house team. It’s the largest, and ultimate, resale site for designer pre-owned products that are verified for authenticity by in-house experts.

Rebelle

Founded in 2013 by Cécile Wickmann, Rebelle, like Vestiaire, specialises in second-hand luxury fashion and offers a concierge option for users. It also hosts shopping events in boutiques all over Europe where customers can buy IRL as opposed to virtually.

The eight best brands for reselling now

Gucci

Prada

Louis Vuitton

Prada

Hermes

Burberry

Dior

Celine

‘We’ve seen newer brands making waves such as Rejina Pyo, Bottega Veneta, Loewe and Ganni. Interestingly, following the recent [acquisition of] Tiffany & Co [by] LVMH, we saw a +21% increase in searches for the brand. It’s definitely one to watch,’ says Vestiaire Collective’s co-founder and president Fanny Moizant.

The best pieces for reselling now

Dior Saddle

Fendi Baguette

Dior Lady Dior

Hermes Kelly

Hermes Birkin

Louis Vuitton Speedy

‘We’ve seen Nineties styles making a huge comeback this year, and have also seen an increase in sales of old Celine following Phoebe Philo’s departure. Streetwear is also trending on the site, with brands such as Balenciaga, Supreme and Off-white all doing well,’ says Fanny.

How to find your forever style

The best way to avoid ‘a wardrobe full of clothes, but nothing to wear’ syndrome, and the cycle of shopping, not-wearing and chucking it involves, is to find your forever style. It’s an idea that Reve En Vert’s Cora Hilts says is key to her business. ‘We believe in a wardrobe that will stand the test of time, that is not comprised of fast fashion, and that is filled with items you truly love,’ she says. Founder of Eco-Age, and champion of sustainable fashion, Livia Firth almost never has need to sort hers. ‘My wardrobe is full of old clothes, ones I’ve bought over the years and ones inherited from my mum or aunts,’ she says. ‘I upcycle a lot. I have a dress, for example, which I made using the top of an old dress and the skirt of another one.’

If you do shop, Cora suggests seeking out well-made pieces. ‘By investing in higher-quality items that aren’t trend-led, people will end up being happier with their wardrobes and, incidentally, more sustainable. It’s a win-win.’ Higher-quality obviously means a higher cost. ‘Sustainable fashion is admittedly more expensive than fast fashion,’ she says, but remember that something made with innovative materials that’s ethically produced and responsibly shipped is always going to have a larger price tag. It will also last for years as opposed to months. ‘If you buy one or two sweaters that you genuinely adore and wear for five years, it will end up costing you much less in the long run than purchasing 10 you wear a few times and throw out,’ says Cora.

SHOP: The Ultimate Capsule Wardrobe Chosen By Cora Hilts