Ethical Reselling

7/9/25

I have been buying second hand clothes almost exclusively for about 3 years now. This last year however, it has really picked up. Most clothes I wore were leftover from teenage years or little bits I had bought here and there. I had some button up shirts from Shein (ewe) and flat billed hats that I used to add some patterns. Other than that I hadn’t decided on a real personal style and my gender egg had yet to start the slow chiseling process. Since then however, I have gotten almost an entirely new wardrobe second hand. In this discovery process I have accidentally bought things that were not fully my style or just didn’t fit. (In cases like the Goodwill bins I am not gonna put anything on until washed.) With this accumulation of clothing that is no longer for me, I decided to start reselling it. While the ethics of reselling clothes is debated (as this article on Ethically Dressed lays out), I have come to land in a place where I feel it is a net positive.

First, this list from the previous link sets out some good ground rules.

Now, HOW am I following these rules for myself? Going down the above list:

One reason I personally enjoy the aspect of online reselling is the ease of access. While the points the website linked makes is a good one, (if thrift stores aren’t as abundant in an area they can shop online), I think it is important for LGBTQ+ individuals when exploring their gender. When I first started looking to try on new clothes I was afraid of going anywhere in my small town. Not only could someone I know judge me, but I also was worried of any harassment. I am privileged enough to have a car/ the gas to could get me into a big city, and the support system to go with me for comfort. Others are not this fortunate. Having second hand online as an option could be the thing that gets them affirming clothes more sustainably than fast fashion options.

It’s also known that newly made sustainable fashion can cost way more than most of us could afford. The Ethically Dressed page has links for sustainable brands, most of which are expensive and unaccessible.

Why am I reselling though?

I enjoy clothes, I wear clothes, I need to afford clothes. It’s that simple. I have, and people do, give away their clothes for free to corporate thrift stores. They then turn a profit to expand their chain. Why can’t I make that money myself? Cut out the corporate man by taking the clothes before they get there, or taking them when they aren’t selling to save them from the dump, or sell them myself when I no longer need them, while selling in an environment that celebrates LGBTQ+ identity? I am slowly working my way there and like I said, I want to work up to an IRL booth/my own website. It would be mainly focused on gender affirming clothing at accessible prices.

Expanding off of this I could do so much for the community; LGBTQ+ events, clothing swaps, fundraisers, DIY/sewing classes, prepayed tickets on a board. I’ve seen it at a coffee shop where you pay for a coffee receipt to put on the wall with a note like “take this if you had a bad day.” I could have that same idea, as well as packages for freshly out people, homeless LGBTQ+ people, young people who can’t afford clothes. SO much potential in a small, locally owned, LGBTQ+ thrift store!

While I am not to that point yet, it’s the dream. I have to start somewhere, and we have to start saving more textiles from wasting in landfills. Try it yourself! I will be making HowTos on navigating the bins and thrift stores! Even if you don’t want to resell you can find some fun stuff!