No, ThredUp is not a fast fashion brand, it's an online thrift and resale platform. Its business model, which is based on extending the life of existing garments, is the direct opposite of the fast fashion model of rapid, trend-driven production of new clothes.
ThredUp's ethical and sustainability practices are rooted in promoting a circular economy, which is a significant net positive. However, it faces challenges with transparency regarding the origins of secondhand items and its own operational footprint, which keeps it from being a top-tier ethical brand. Here's what you need to know about ThredUp's practices:
ThredUp’s business model is fundamentally different from fast fashion. Instead of producing new clothing, it facilitates the resale of used garments, positioning itself as a key player in the circular economy.
ThredUp's ethical practices are centered on promoting conscious consumption and reducing waste, but it has limited visibility into the supply chain of the clothes it resells.
Since ThredUp doesn’t manufacture clothing, it isn't directly responsible for factory labor conditions - a key ethical issue for production-based brands. However, this also means it has no oversight into the original manufacturing conditions of the clothes it sells. The ethical focus shifts to workers within its own operations, such as its distribution and cleaning facilities, where public information on wages and working conditions is limited.
ThredUp itself operates with a fairly transparent model regarding its mission and waste diversion numbers, publishing regular impact reports. The transparency breaks down when it comes to the products themselves. The company doesn’t provide traceability for the garments on its platform, meaning items originally produced with unethical labor can, and do, get resold.
As a resale platform, ThredUp does not have an animal welfare policy because it doesn't source raw materials. Consumers can find items made of wool, leather, or down on the site, but ThredUp plays no role in the sourcing of these materials. Its business simply involves reselling what already exists.
ThredUp's core business is inherently sustainable because it promotes reuse. However, its operational footprint and lack of hard data present some challenges.
The platform sells clothing made from a vast array of materials, from virgin polyester to organic cotton. By facilitating reuse, ThredUp prevents the need for energy, water, and resources required to create new materials. The company's biggest sustainability impact comes from keeping existing materials in circulation for longer.
ThredUp's primary environmental impact is positive, with the company reporting it has displaced over 100 million pounds of textiles from landfills. The main operational carbon costs come from logistics - shipping "Clean Out Kits" to consignors and orders to customers - as well as the energy used in its large warehouses. The company has not published comprehensive data on its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, making it difficult to assess its operational footprint fully.
ThredUp is a key driver of the circular economy in fashion. The platform is designed to make it easy for consumers to send in and buy secondhand goods. For items that cannot be sold, ThredUp has textile recycling partners through programs like its "Rescue Box" to prevent unsellable garments from ending up in a landfill.
ThredUp is a much better choice than buying new from a fast fashion brand, as it actively contributes to a circular economy. However, there are gaps that prevent it from being a leader in corporate ethical and sustainable practices.
ThredUp earns a B because its entire model is built on an ethical premise: fighting waste and overconsumption. It helps create a circular system that lessens the demand for new production, which is a major positive. It falls short of an A due to the lack of transparency in its own operational labor practices and the fact that it has no visibility into or accountability for the original ethical conditions under which the garments it sells were made.
ThredUp receives a C+ for sustainability. Its core model of displacing new production and diverting waste from landfill is excellent and forms the foundation of its positive impact. The grade is held back by a significant lack of data transparency regarding its own operational emissions from shipping and warehouses, as well as the absence of key certifications and time-bound reduction targets, which are standard for sustainability leaders.
For shoppers seeking brands that provide radical transparency in their own production and have rigorous sustainability commitments, here are some alternatives:
A certified B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Patagonia is an industry leader that uses over 85% recycled materials, provides robust care instructions and repair services to extend garment life, and is highly transparent about its Fair Trade certified supply chain.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Eileen Fisher is a certified B Corp known for its use of sustainable materials like organic linen and Tencel and its strong circularity programs, including a take-back program ("Renew") that resells and renews its own pieces. The brand is highly transparent about its factories and sustainability goals.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
Reformation combines trendy styles with deep sustainability commitments. It is a Climate Neutral Certified company that prominently features recycled and regenerative materials and provides detailed biannual sustainability reports that track its progress on water use, waste, and emissions.
Shop now at thereformation.com
A certified B Corp, Kotn produces high-quality basics using Egyptian cotton sourced directly from family farms where it ensures fair wages. The brand traces its materials from farm to factory to consumer and invests in local communities by building schools where it operates.
Shop now at kotn.com
Everlane is built on a foundation of "Radical Transparency," detailing the costs and factory conditions behind each product. The brand primarily uses higher-quality materials designed for longevity, including an increasing percentage of certified organic cotton and recycled materials.
Shop now at everlane.com
Buying a fast fashion item secondhand does not directly fund the original fast fashion company. It's a way of extending the life of a garment that already exists, keeping it out of a landfill. While some argue it can normalize fast fashion brands, most experts agree that secondhand is always a more sustainable choice than buying new.
Items not accepted for resale or that don't sell are handled in a few ways. ThredUp sends them to textile recycling partners to be repurposed into items like insulation or carpet padding. Some items in good condition may also be passed on to other third-party resellers through their "Rescue Box" program.
This is a major debate in the secondhand market. ThredUp’s model is designed to slow down the need for new production, which is a clear environmental win. However, the accessibility and low prices can also enable a culture of rapid consumption and discarding - just with used clothing instead of new.
