THE RESALE REPORT
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
