THE RESALE REPORT
To keep their merch out of landfills, fashion companies are urging customers to send back gently used branded clothing for credit. Donated/takeback items are then recycled and resold to consumers for less. Not only does this increase circularity—it also amps up revenues and customer loyalty. Genius, right? We’ve tracked down some brands that have resale down to a science.
• Another Tomorrow
To keep its modern yet timeless designs in circulation and out of landfills. New York luxury brand Another Tomorrow offers an authenticated resale program. Customers scan QR codes on labels, choose cash payments or store credit, ship it to the Soho flagship store and get paid when it sells.
• Athleta
Launched in 1998 and acquired by Gap Inc. in 2008, San Francisco, CA-based Athleta has blazed a trail as one of the first women’s performance athletic apparel brands. In 2022, it partnered with ThredUp and Shop Premium Outlets for Athleta Preloved, its resale program. A Certified B Corp., Athleta has collected more than 500,000 items of donated clothing—letting customers shop for gently worn branded apparel at a discount.
• Carhartt
A rugged premium workwear (and now trendy) brand since 1889, Dearborn, MI-based Carhartt introduced Carhartt Reworked in 2023. The company joined forces with Trove, inviting customers to trade in branded apparel at its stores and online. The reward? A Carhartt gift card.
To qualify, all used Carhartt items must be under 10 years old and have cost at least $50. Carhartt sorts through all eligible products dropped off, selling them at a discount. Clothes that don’t qualify for the program end up as recycled fabrics.
• Coach
Coach is charting a circular course with its Coach (Re)Loved Exchange program. Customers can trade in their bags to be recycled or shop the New York brand’s collection of preloved bags. “Either way, you’re helping create a less wasteful way of doing things,” says its website. “Wear it, love it, pass it on.”
• Cuyana
San Francisco-based accessories brand Cuyana believes in “fewer, better things.” That extends to Revive, its resale program, which lets customers buy and sell preloved pieces via Archive. The company has also partnered with ThredUp to give new life to used products.
• Eileen Fisher
Based in the New York City suburb of Irvington, NY. women’s wear brand (and sustainability pioneer) Eileen Fisher opened in 1984. By 2010, the company began recycling apparel via a takeback program at its LAB store—a one-of-a-kind boutique with a mix of current and previous pieces from its signature collections.
In 2013, Eileen Fisher opened a dedicated used clothing store near its headquarters in Yonkers, NY. The following year, it unveiled a “We’d Like Our Clothes Back Now. Thanks Very Much” campaign on Earth Day, when its retail stores began collecting gently worn branded clothing. In 2017, the company renamed its resale/takeback program Renew. Customers receive a $5 reward for each returned piece of clothing (even worn-out styles). Specialists sort through each piece: Items in good condition are resold, while the rest are upcycled into new designs.
• Faherty
Sustainability stands out as a top priority for Faherty, a New York-based classically casual apparel brand. A Certified B Corp., it contributes to organizations including 1% for the Planet, FabScrap and The Surfrider Foundation. In 2023, the company introduced Second Wave, an online branded resale platform where customers can buy and sell lightly worn and well-loved pieces.
• Fjällräven
In 2024, Swedish outdoor apparel & accessories brand Fjällräven partnered with Archive to introduce Fjällräven Pre-Loved, a peer-to-peer resale platform inviting customers to buy and sell used Fjällräven bags (the company is beloved for its chic backpacks), apparel and more.
• For Days x Trashie
Based in New York Trashie is the latest innovation from the team behind Los Angeles-based zero-waste fashion brand For Days (founded in 2018).
Trashie offers an easy, convenient way to recycle unwanted clothing, shoes, accessories and more—keeping waste out of landfills. Fill the brand’s signature Take Back Bag with items in almost any condition. Mail it back in exchange for “TrashieCash™,” which can be redeemed for rewards to use at a number of retailers (apparel and more).
• Girlfriend Collective
A sustainable, ethically made activewear brand in Los Angeles, Girlfriend Collective recently introduced its preloved program Regirlfriend. Just ship gently worn Girlfriend Collective pieces back to the company, which then repurposes them as new styles and gives you credit for new looks.
• J.Crew
Along with a dedicated vintage section online, J.Crew has added J,Crew Always, a resale platform in partnership with ThredUp. Fill a ThredUp clean-out kit with gently used women's and kids' pieces, and you'll receive store credit for J.Crew’s latest ‘fits.
• Lululemon
Initially a mail-in program for used branded products in exchange for gift cards, Lululemon teamed up with Trove in 2021 to launch Like New. The following year, Lululemon expanded its trade-in program nationwide; customers can drop off old clothing at hundreds of Lululemon stores across the U.S. (also in exchange for gift cards).
After the company "refreshes" the items, it sells the gently used Lululemon gear online (mostly at half price). 100% of Like New’s profits go to the Apparel Impact Institute's Fashion Climate Fund, helping to reduce industry carbon emissions by 2030.
• Madewell
Got some old pairs of jeans you never wear anymore? Trade them in with the brand’s recycling program Madewell Do Well. Bring your used jeans (even brands besides Madewell) into any Madewell store: Madewell either resells them or recycles them as fiber for housing insulation. You’ll get $20 toward a future jeans purchase.
• M.M. LaFleur
Using materials that minimize environmental impact and offering transparency around its supply chain, New York women’s wear brand M.M. LaFleur prioritizes long-lasting products. The company’s Second Act program lets customers buy and sell preloved M.M.LaFleur pieces. It has also partnered with ThredUp, encouraging customers to edit their closets responsibly by offering store credit.
• Patagonia
Known as “the most reputable brand in the United States,” Patagonia is the OG of sustainable outdoor/performance apparel and accessories. Launched in 1973 by rock climber and environmental activist Yvon Chouinard, the Ventura, CA-based company is a Certified B Corporation with a mission “to save our home planet.”
Patagonia’s Worn Wear® program lets customers trade in and buy used branded gear. According to its website, “85% of clothing ends up in landfills or gets incinerated. One of the best things we can do for the planet is keep stuff in use longer and reduce our overall consumption. That means buying less, repairing more and trading in gear when you no longer need it.” In addition, the company’s ReCrafted line is made from used clothing scraps collected at its WornWear® facility in Reno, NV.
• Rachel Comey
Launched in 2001, designer women’s wear brand Rachel Comey manufactures most of collections in the garment centers of New York and Los Angeles. The company also works with Canopy (an NGO committed to protecting forests, biodiversity and climate) through its sustainable spin on packaging and fabrics. In partnership with Recurate, Rachel Comey recently added a peer-to-peer resale shop.
• Rothys
Having transformed more than 200 million plastic bottles into shoes and bags, Rothys means business when it comes to sustainability. Along with shipping its products in recycled cardboard boxes, the San Francisco-based company operates its own LEED Gold and TRUE Zero-Waste Certified factory. To receive credit for future purchases, customers can drop off used goods at Rothys stores across the country for recycling. Rothys x Poshmark, its resale program, also extends the lifetime of all products.
• Subset
An organic cotton intimates brand, Subset has introduced an innovative recycling program for underwear and socks. Most clothing donation centers don’t accept these products, which often wind up in landfills. Send them back to the company with a pre-paid label you’ll save $25 on your next order.
• UNIQLO
RE.UNIQLO collects pieces from the brand (and its sister brand GU) using in-store donation boxes. The company sorts each donation into reusable and recycled items. In partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency, NGOs, and NPOs, UNIQLO sends apparel with second- and even third-life potential to refugee camps and disaster areas.
