Article
• January 21, 2010
Purchase and Give Secondhand Clothes a New Life
Swap the clothes you don't want for duds you desire with thredUP
You know all those items in your closet you never wear but feel too guilty about buying to throw out? Now there’s a way to turn them into things you actually want.
No, it’s not magic – it’s thredUP, a peer-to-peer clothing exchange that lets you trade items with other people who also want to clean out their closets.
When you sign up you answer a series of questions (Do you live in the city or suburbs? How large is your closet?) that determine how much you have in the way of unwanted clothing and what the “value” of your closet is.
From there you add the items you want to trade to your virtual closet, listing the size, brand, color, and condition. Then you tell them what you’re looking for, again specifying brands and sizes. The system uses an algorithm to match your preferences with other users.
Once a swap is engaged, you send your items using pre-paid envelopes (they come in packets of three for $25; the service is otherwise free).
If you feel a little odd about taking somebody else’s used clothing, rest assured that threUP claims most of their users only trade new or “like new” items. In addition, there’s rating system that helps maintain quality control (it also allows the system to find good matches for you).
While the site is currently geared toward adults, they’re launching thredUP Kids next month. (The first 1,000 people to register will get to try it for free).
Think of it as the one time you can shop in someone else’s closet without breaking the law.
Netted subscribers can get a 50% discount on their first packet of three thredUP envelopes by adding the code “Netted” in the promo box at checkout.
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