10 Second-Hand E-Commerce Stores to Watch in 2024

We are fashionistas. We love fashion.

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However, we have to face the fact that the fashion industry is leaving a major negative environmental impact on our planet.

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Data published by the UNEP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation shows that: 

• Fabric treatment accounts for about 20% of the world’s wastewater. 
• 87% of total fiber input leverage in the clothing industry ends up incinerated or on some landfill. 
• If we keep this dynamic, by 2030 the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions will exceed 50%.

That’s why we need solutions that could reduce the environmental impact of our wardrobes more quickly.

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Second-hand clothing is a movement that is rising as one of the most popular sustainability initiatives. 

And, it seems like it’s an even better alternative to recycling.

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‍On average, 1lb of clothes sold second-hand save 5.9 lb of CO2 while recycling the same amount of clothing into fibers saves 1.7 lb of CO2. 

With this data in mind, second-hand products can become an important factor in the reduction of CO2 emissions and tackling climate change.

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The global fashion industry is going towards sustainability, favoring brands that make clothing from recycled materials, as well as second-hand and renting platforms. 

In this article, we’re referring to some of today’s most popular second-hand e-commerce platforms and suggesting how they can improve their competitiveness.

Today’s top second-hand e-commerce shops

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The RealReal

The RealReal is a luxury second-hand e-commerce store that has recently raised an amount of $300 million.

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The startup also went public in June 2019 on the Nasdaq Global Select Market with REAL as their ticker symbol.

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Their revenue in Q1 in 2019 was 50% up compared to 2018’s first quarter. 

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Imparfaite

Imparfaite is a marketplace dedicated to professional vintage clothes and accessories.

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The platform has a unique goal: to curate and reintroduce the most exquisite vintage pieces to the market.

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This is made possible through partnerships with the top professional vintage sellers in France, including thrift and consignment shop owners.

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‍Thrift+

Thrift+ wants to become the Amazon of second-hand shopping.

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The platform facilitates the sale of hundreds of new items every day.

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Sellers get half of the profits in form of Thrift+ credit or a John Lewis or Farfetch voucher, while the other half goes to a charity of their own choosing.

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Buyers can find designer labels such as Calvin Klein and Coach. However, they can also find popular high-street brands like Cos and Arket. 

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House of Vintage

House of Vintage was initially opened as a shop in Canada in 2003 and then expanded to the UK.

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Today, the second-hand store has an online platform where buyers can find a wide variety of clothes, mainly focusing on vintage T-shirts and sweatshirts.

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High-street stores can never offer you such original styles as House of Vintage.

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Celebrities also love it—House of Vintage was one of the shops that provided the clothes of Marianne in the popular British TV show Normal People. 

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Depop

Depop is one of the UK’s Gen Zers’ favorite second-hand e-commerce apps, offering retro sports clothing and styles that were popular in the 90s.

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Depop is designed to look like a social network, so that’s why the younger audience especially likes it. 

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thredUp

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thredUp is a popular second-hand online marketplace where people can buy and sell all types of clothing items at affordable prices.

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This e-commerce store goes one step further by incorporating AI in its platform in order to personalize the customer experience.

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Thanks to smart algorithms, thredUp has the power to provide users with customized product suggestions and place the sellers’ items in more targeted offerings.  

The organization's mission is to inspire a new wave of shoppers to first consider second-hand, keeping clothes out of landfills so that they can look amazing without adding to environmental waste.‍