Let’s be honest here for a minute. We’ve all got some things in our closets that we haven’t worn in years. Maybe it’s that pair of jeans that we’re hoping to one day fit back into. Maybe it’s a top that’s great in theory but just doesn’t seem to go with anything. Rather than trashing those unworn items or sending them to the Goodwill, the folks at thredUP want to help you swap them out for something new!

Well, not “new” new. New to you. Here’s how it works:

It’s really easy to get started! You don’t have to take pictures of your unwanted items. ThredUP just asks that you “indicate the brand, size, color and pattern of any item you’d like to get rid of,” and they find it a home! You just send off your items in their pre-paid envelopes, and for each item you send you get matched up with an item that meets your preferences. Pretty cool, right?

So what’s to stop me from sending in stained or torn clothes? There are a few things in place to prevent that and even encourage you to swap quality garments! First off, if you get something stained or torn, they ask you to report it. They reprimand that user and you get a credit for another piece of clothing. No worries!

They’ve also got a nifty “Stylie Points” system. Think of it as virtual high fives or like props on Blip. Except these are props that add up to free stuff! How’s that for incentive to only send your best unwanteds?

A set of three envelopes is $25. Not bad for quality second hand goodies! It looks like they’ve got a decent user base already. I just tried to sign up and am on a waiting list.

It’s not quite as cheap as a trip to the thrift store, depending on where you’re shopping. ThredUP definitely would save you cash if you normally replace old clothes with something new. I really like the community aspect. It feels like the sort of thing that might encourage folks who aren’t thrift store-inclined to try out second hand clothes.

So what do you guys think? Are you going to give it a whirl?

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by brymo