8 Of The Best Websites For Thrift Shopping Without Leaving Home

Shopping secondhand instead of buying new is a great way to keep old clothes out of the landfill, reduce your closet's environmental footprint, and save money in the process. And just because many vintage and consignment shops are closed due to COVID-19 doesn't mean you can't score some secondhand deals from home.

In 2020, online thrifting is easier—and more popular—than ever. According to a new report from ThredUp, a popular resale website, the online secondhand market is set to grow 69% between 2019 and 2021 while the broader clothing retail space is projected to shrink 15%. The resale industry as a whole is estimated to reach $36 billion by 2021. Another state of the union from resale platform Poshmark found that secondhand clothes now make up the largest percentage of Gen Z-ers' closets by category, with Americans under the age of 23 reserving an average of 16.5% of their wardrobe space for thrifted pieces.

Ready to hop on the planet- (and wallet-) friendly bandwagon? Here are some online shops to poke around depending on what it is you're looking for.

The RealReal (which also sells secondhand art and homewares) is a luxury consignment shop that lets you shop by designer. Balenciaga, Burberry, Chanel, and Gucci are some of its most popular names. To offset the environmental impact of shipping these designer goods around the world, the San Francisco–based company has pledged to go carbon neutral by 2021 and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30% by 2030.

Poshmark is a resale platform where anyone can sell all types of gently worn clothes, shoes, and accessories, and its athleisure collection is particularly expansive. Click around to find an array of leggings, sneakers, and workout tops at a fraction of their normal prices, and buy them directly from sellers across the country.

Well known for its artsy home goods, Etsy also has a decent-size secondhand clothes market. Like that one-of-a-kind handmade table you bought on Etsy a few years back, its clothes have a unique and one-of-a-kind feel. Some brick-and-mortar thrift stores also have their own Etsy shops where they sell vintage pieces that span styles and eras.

thredUP is a popular resale platform with an expansive collection and smooth interface. The company photographs and lists all of the clothing it collects, so everything on its site looks cohesive. Shopping from them feels more like buying from a traditional store, and you can tailor your search by clothing type, designer, price, and style.

Goodfair collects used clothing from a network of recyclers, collection boxes, and thrift stores and ships it out in customized variety packs. Tell them your size and color preferences and get ready for a surprise bundle of tees, Hawaiian shirts, polos, or sweatshirts to be delivered to your door. Doing business this way means the company can save costs on photographing and listing every item in their repertoire, which ultimately makes buying from them more affordable.

Every year, Patagonia collects thousands of used garments and gear, makes sure they're in tiptop shape, and then relists them on Worn Wear for a fraction of their original cost. This is just one way that the outdoor brand keeps its clothes in use for longer: They also offer mending tips and washing and ironing instructions to help people extend the life span of all of their purchases.

Grailed is one of the only secondhand shops that exclusively sells menswear, and its wide collection of sneakers, outerwear, and formal wear has developed a cult following.

Thrilling lets you shop directly from vintage stores and private collectors across the U.S. Since the pandemic began, the platform has ensured that 100% of every purchase goes back to the sellers themselves.

Ready, set, shop—and remember that thrifting isn't an excuse to buy a ton of things you don't need. The rules of sustainable shopping still apply: Go in with a plan, invest in high-quality pieces, and don't buy anything you don't intend to love for its entire (second) life.